How long can you have cancer without knowing?
9 minute read
Cancer can go unnoticed for many years, especially if it’s growing slowly or causing no symptoms. Some people are shocked to learn they have cancer after a routine check-up or seeing a doctor for something they thought was unrelated.
This is partly because cancer doesn’t always show symptoms, especially in the early stages. This is called asymptomatic cancer, which means there are no noticeable signs.
All cancers start very small – as just single cells. It’s often only when cancer grows bigger or spreads that it causes symptoms, which is when most people are diagnosed.
Whether or not cancer causes symptoms depends on:
- The size
- Where the cancer is
- How fast it's growing
Some cancers grow very slowly, so people might be unaffected for many years. Other cancers have vague symptoms that are easy to miss, which can also mean they go undetected until a later stage.
Warning signs of cancer
On a positive note, there are things you can do to help spot cancer early. And for many cancers, spotting signs earlier makes it easier to treat and gives a better chance of successful treatment.
Make sure you:
- Know the common signs of cancer
- See a doctor if you have symptoms
- Go to any cancer screenings you’re offered
The signs and symptoms depend on the type of cancer, but here are some common symptoms to watch out for.
1. Coughing, chest pain, or being out of breath
Chest symptoms can be a sign of lung cancer, including a cough lasting longer than three weeks.
2. Changes in toilet habits (bowels or urination)
Changes in how often or how urgently you need to urinate or open your bowels, and how your urine or stool looks can be a sign of prostate or gastrointestinal cancers.
3. Bloating
Bloating feels like your stomach is too full or stretched. It can even look bigger. It can be a sign of ovarian cancer.
4. Bleeding or traces of blood
This could be bleeding from the vagina, bottom, or when you cough. It can also be blood in your urine, vomit, or stools, which could be red, pink, brown or black.
5. Lumps, bumps, moles or skin changes
Sometimes cancer causes lumps or bumps that you can see or feel, or changes to the skin, like moles, redness, or darkening if you have black or brown skin.
6. Unexplained weight changes
Unexplained weight changes mean you’ve lost or gained weight without an obvious cause, such as changes in your eating habits or physical activity, or stress.
7. Pain that doesn't go away or keeps coming back
Cancer can cause pain in the body where it’s growing, including stomach pain, back pain, chest pain, breast pain or headaches.
8. Itchy or yellow skin
Pancreatic cancer can make your skin itch, and your eyes or skin turn yellow
9. Feeling constantly tired or unwell
If you have tiredness that doesn’t go away with rest, or often feel unwell without a reason, it can be a sign of cancer.
Symptoms don’t always mean you have cancer, as most of these signs can be caused by other conditions too. A doctor will talk to you about your symptoms and general health and offer further tests if cancer is a concern.
Are you worried about cancer?
If you’re worried about cancer or concerned about any possible cancer symptoms, visit our diagnostic clinics page or call us on the number below and book an appointment today.
Which cancers are typically diagnosed late?
According to NHS data from 2022, these cancers are more likely to be diagnosed late (stage 3 and 4):
- Bowel (colon) cancer
- Non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma
- Lung cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Rectal cancer
- Throat, mouth, and oesophagus cancer
Early diagnosis is improving for many cancers, such as breast cancer. This is thanks to increased awareness of symptoms, improvements in tests and scans to check for cancer, and national screening programs.
How screenings can help
A cancer screening is when you have a test or scan for cancer, without having any symptoms. A screening is different to the tests you have when you have symptoms.
Screening can help to spot cancer at an earlier stage, which can mean more treatment options and a better chance of treating or curing cancer.
The NHS offers national screening for cervical, breast and bowel cancer. You may also be invited for other screenings if you have a family history of certain cancers, like prostate cancer.
At GenesisCare, we offer private cancer screening to help spot cancer early:
- Private breast cancer screening for women aged 40 and above with no breast symptoms
- Our UrologyHub, where men with and without symptoms can have a prostate check
We also offer fast access to diagnostics and treatments for all adult cancers, including tests and scans if you have symptoms of cancer.
When to see a doctor
There are over 200 types of cancer, and the symptoms can vary for each. It’s important to see a doctor as soon as possible if you notice changes in your health.
Book an appointment with your doctor if…
- You notice a new symptom or health concern
- You spoke to them about a symptom before, but it hasn’t gone away
- You’re worried about cancer
FAQs
It’s possible to have bone cancer for months or years before a diagnosis. This partly depends on how fast the cancer is growing, and if it’s primary cancer (cancer that started in the bone) or metastatic cancer (cancer that spread from another organ).
For many people, bone cancer causes noticeable symptoms even in early stages, such as swelling and bone pain. Speaking to a doctor about symptoms can help find cancer earlier.
Cervical cancer is often slow-growing. It starts from small changes in healthy cervix cells, which become pre-cancerous. It can take several years for these cells to become cancer.
Often, early cervical cancer has no symptoms, which means it may develop for months or years before a diagnosis. In the UK, the cervical screening program is helping to find cervical cancer earlier. The earlier it’s found, the easier it is to treat.
To catch cervical cancer earlier, you should:
- Attend your regular smear tests
- Speak to a doctor if you notice any symptoms of cervical cancer
Symptoms include bleeding, abnormal discharge, or pain during or after sex.
Most types of thyroid cancer are slow-growing and can cause vague symptoms. This means it’s possible to have it for months or years before diagnosis. This includes the most common type of thyroid cancer, called papillary thyroid cancer.
If you notice symptoms of thyroid cancer, speak to a doctor. These include:
- A sore throat that doesn’t go away
- A lump in your throat
- A hoarse or croaky voice
If you have a slower-growing breast cancer, it’s possible to have it for months or years before it’s diagnosed.
Mammograms are scans that can spot very small lumps or changes in the breasts before they’re seen or felt. Breast screening programs in the UK are helping to find breast cancer earlier.
To find breast cancer earlier, check your breasts regularly by looking and feeling for changes, attend your mammogram appointments, and speak to a doctor about changes in your breasts.
Often, people have prostate cancer for many years without symptoms, as it’s often slow growing. Symptoms can also be mild, or similar to other conditions, making prostate cancer harder to spot.
Even after diagnosis, some people choose to avoid treatment and continue to live well for many years. It depends on how fast your cancer is growing and whether it’s spread outside the prostate.
Incurable cancer, or terminal cancer, is when it can’t be cured. How long you live depends on:
- The type of cancer
- Where it’s growing and if it’s spread
- Previous treatments
- How fast it’s growing
- Your age and health
- Whether you opt to have palliative treatment
Life expectancy for incurable cancer can be days, weeks, months, or years. Your doctor can give you an estimate, but they can’t say for sure.
Palliative cancer care is treatment aimed at easing your symptoms. They don’t treat the cancer but are intended to help you live as well as possible.
