Cancer symptoms your doctor should hear about
"Cancer doesn’t always cause obvious symptoms at first, which is why noticing small changes matters" says Cancer Nurse Kathryn Murphy Picture: iStock
For many of the 44,000 people in Ireland who are diagnosed with cancer every year, the outlook is more optimistic than ever. Survival rates for breast, bowel, prostate, testicular cancers and melanoma have improved significantly in recent years, thanks to national screening programmes such as BreastCheck, CervicalCheck, and BowelScreen, and the continual emergence of newer and better treatments.
Screening programmes have proven successful because positive outcomes remain highly dependent on early diagnosis. “Early detection saves lives,” says Kevin O’Hagan, cancer prevention manager at the Irish Cancer Society. “Survival rates are generally much higher in those where the cancer has not spread and is easier to treat.”
Unfortunately, though, there are still too many cases where cancer is picked up at a late stage once it has metastasised to multiple organs. Data from the National Cancer Registry Ireland reveals that 39% of lung cancer cases, and 47% of pancreatic cancers, are detected at stage 4, while a third of all ovarian cancers are picked up at stage 3.
“If I could give every Irish person just one piece of advice about cancer, it would be that cancer doesn’t always cause obvious symptoms at first, which is why noticing small changes matters,” says Kathryn Murphy, a cancer nurse who works with the Marie Keating Foundation.
But many of us tend to overlook these telltale signs. Working in communities across the West of Ireland, Murphy regularly speaks with patients about why they didn’t come forward and seek medical attention sooner, and she says that the two most common explanations are that they either didn’t want to bother the doctor, or they dismissed their initial concerns because they “felt grand most days”.
“These delays are one of the biggest reasons cancers are diagnosed later than they need to be,” says Murphy.
So what are some of the key red-flag symptoms to look out for? Here are nine which experts most commonly cite:
“Nine out of 10 breast lumps are benign,” she says.
“However, you can’t tell what a lump is by feeling it alone. Any new lump, swelling, or thickening, particularly one that doesn’t go away, grows, or feels different to the surrounding tissue, should be assessed by a healthcare professional.”
According to Patrick Redmond, a GP and associate professor at RCSI, certain breast symptoms, such as swelling, can be common and part and parcel of the hormonal cycle, which women commonly experience. However, he says it’s particularly
important to watch out for anything which lingers or feels unusual for your body. “It comes down to the sense of knowing what’s right for you,” he says. “If there’s a persistent swelling or a lump, then that needs to be checked out.”
However, many people still delay seeking medical help because the bleeding is painless or intermittent. “The cause may be an infection, inflammation, or conditions such as haemorrhoids, but it can also be an early sign of cancer,” says Murphy. “Any episode of unexplained bleeding, even if it happens just once, should be discussed with your doctor.”
Skin cancer is Ireland’s most common cancer, with approximately 11,000 cases diagnosed every year. While all of us acquire moles, distinguishing something innocuous from a potential cancer is a challenge.
Redmond recommends what he describes as the ABCD rule, where A stands for asymmetry, B for border irregularity, C for colour, and D for diameter.
“When someone presents, we look to see whether there is a symmetry in the mole, what the borders look like, and whether there’s a variation in the colour,” he explains.
Moles that are bleeding, have ragged edges, are a variety of colours (with white or blue being particularly concerning), are wider than a pencil eraser, or seem asymmetrical need to be checked out by a medical professional as a matter of concern.
While conditions like pancreatic cancer are often associated with symptoms such as jaundice or yellowing of the skin, these signs only tend to present at a late stage once the cancer has advanced.
Instead, O’Hagan explains that early signs of conditions like lung or pancreatic cancer are often vague and more subtle, such as a sudden or intermittent loss of appetite.
This is because the presence of a developing tumour can cause the body to secrete chemicals which suppress appetite.
Whether it’s needing to go more often or less often, or a constant lingering feeling that you haven’t emptied your bowels, any persistent change in bowel motions should never be ignored, especially as bowel cancer is the second most common cancer in Ireland, with around 2,500 people diagnosed every year.
“Talking about poo might feel awkward, but missing an early diagnosis is far worse — and be assured that your GP or nurse has heard it all before,” says Murphy.
Ireland has no national screening service for lung cancer — although a pilot programme was launched in March 2025.
Some 2,740 Irish people are diagnosed every year with the disease, and five-year survival rates are just 24%.
O’Hagan says that there’s a common misconception that only smokers can get lung cancer, but in fact, anyone who develops a new cough which lasts three weeks or more, a sudden change in their cough, or breathlessness should seek medical attention.
“We all notice a cough from time to time, but it’s the one that sticks around [we need to watch],” says Murphy.
“If you have a pain in your chest or shoulder, breathlessness for over three weeks, or you are coughing up blood, you should see your doctor.
“Some people may feel reluctant to see their doctor with chest symptoms, particularly if they are smokers, or used to smoke, but let me be very clear — doctors and nurses are there to support you and help you.”
We can all feel worn out after a late night or a busy week, particularly midlifers juggling jobs and the pressures of bringing up children, but a constant, deadening fatigue is one of the key general symptoms of cancer, caused by the disease using up energy, disrupting sleep, and perhaps causing anaemia.
Murphy says it’s important to understand that cancer-related fatigue is quite distinct from normal tiredness.
“It can be a deep, unrelenting exhaustion that doesn’t improve with rest or sleep, and can make everyday tasks feel overwhelming,” she says.
“Talking to your doctor about persistent fatigue — especially if it’s accompanied by other symptoms such as weight loss, night sweats, or breathlessness, could lead to investigations that detect cancer earlier.”
According to Redmond, many cases of fatigue can be explained by causes other than cancer, but if it’s different from normal week-to-week tiredness, it’s worth getting checked out. “For most people, there isn’t anything wrong, but an initial GP assessment with some baseline blood tests is a good filter to find what’s going on,” he says.
Losing weight without even trying might sound like a welcome change to most of us, but it’s actually a key warning sign that something is very wrong with your body.
“It can occur when the body is using more energy than normal or is unable to absorb nutrients properly — something that can happen in certain cancers,” says Murphy.
Essentially, if you’re losing a lot of weight over a short period of time, without actively trying any new diet, it’s important to discuss this with a doctor. “While there are many non-cancer causes, if you notice your clothes becoming loose or the number on the scales is dropping without changes to your eating habits or exercise, this should always be checked,” says Murphy.
- If you have any questions or concerns about cancer, call the Irish Cancer Society Support Line on freephone 1800 200 700, or visit cancer.ie
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