Knowledge is Power – symptoms and cancer prevention for late teens and early 20s

Simple awareness and some basic self-checks could allow you to identify body changes before cancer starts. These checks should start early in life, and they have saved a few of my friends in their early 20s.

Know your lemons
Both men and women get breast cancer, although it is more commonly associated with women. I like the lemon analogy (see image) as it allows you to clearly see the changes that might indicate you need to go to the doctor.
A self-exam is very easy and is ideal immediately after the shower. Place your hands on your hips and look straight in the mirror. This should include your breast and into the arm-pit. There should be no changes, distortions, or colour changes. Raise your arms and check again. The nipple should stay in place, there should e no new lumps or odd shape, colour or rash. Unless you are breast-feeding, there should be no leaking fluid.
Check the area with the pads of your fingers in a circular motion from the nipple out. Use the opposite hand to examine each side. Check this in standing and lying flat on your back. Some people prefer to perform the standing exam in the shower.

Juggling balls
Testicular cancer is somewhat rare. However, a friend of mine found a lump in his early 20s and took it seriously – it saved his life. He has gone on to have children and has a healthy life. Knowing the symptoms could save your life.
You may find a lump, may see a distortion in one side, feel an ache or sharp pain or a feeling of heaviness. It is normal for each side to look different. A self-exam can be easily performed. Examine each side by rolling gently between the thumb and forefinger. Knowing what is normal for you will help you identify any changes.

Don’t sit in ignorance
Obviously, there is no easy self-exam for bowel cancer, so you need to know what your common toilet habits are. Bowel cancer is often caught too late because people ignore changes. It has, very sadly, affected people in my life that I thought were too young to get cancer.
Any changes to your habits should be observed and if they don’t improve quickly – visit your GP. These include unexplained abdominal pain, bloating cramping, diarrhoea, constipation or feeling that you can’t expel everything; stools becoming thinner; blood in stools or urine (this may appear like rust); a lump or pain in your back passage; unexplained weight loss, fatigue, anaemia, pale complexion and breathlessness.

A shot in the arm
Some cancers are linked to viruses. Every young person should be getting the HPV vaccine, regardless of sexual practices or religious affiliations.
Women above the age of 25 should undertake regular pelvic exams as HPV is not the only reason to do so. Ensure you are approximately in the middle of your cycle when you plan your visit. Being close to your period can cause false negatives.

Know yourself
You know your body and what isn’t normal. If you notice something changing, don’t wait. Get some advice from a medical doctor.
Look after yourself. Eat healthy, don’t smoke, move and take a bit of time for your mind. It’s not a magic bullet, but studies continue to support that a good lifestyle optimises health against cancers and other diseases.

References
https://www.breastcancer.org/screening-testing/breast-self-exam-bse
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/testicular-cancer/
https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/types-of-cancer/bowel-cancer
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/cervical/basic_info/prevention.htm
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/human-papilloma-virus-hpv/#:~:text=HPV%20is%20the%20name%20of,more%20than%20100%20different%20types