Fatigue, weakness, and lethargy
Leukaemia and brain tumours can cause cancer-related fatigue. For people with leukaemia, this is usually because of anaemia (a deficiency of red blood cells), which only compounds the physical exhaustion. People with a brain tumour, however, experience weakness and lethargy due to disrupted nerve signals. There are also some colon or stomach cancers that can cause blood loss that leads to fatigue. The later stages of kidney cancer will also rob energy, reports the Mayo Clinic.
Chronic coughing
If you have a persistent cough for more than three weeks without other cold or allergy symptoms, it could be an early sign of lung or throat cancer. (However, there are many other causes of a chronic cough, including asthma.) Leukaemia can also cause symptoms that seem like bronchitis or a bad chest cold. Not surprisingly, coughing up blood can be another cancer symptom, especially if it’s bright red and looks bubbly from mixing with air and mucus.
These silent signs could indicate that your lungs are in trouble.
New, dark nail marks
Melanoma of the nails – officially known as subungual melanoma – hits up to 3.5 per cent of people with melanoma. Rare as it is, it’s crucial to remember this tell-tale sign: a dark black or brown line across a fingernail or toenail.