When it comes to cancer symptoms, there’s no such thing as TMI

Sharing doesn’t always mean caring, and some secrets, no matter how seemingly minor, may be best kept under wraps. No one needs to know how often you wash your sheets or that you secretly watch cheesy Christmas movies when you’re alone.

When it comes to your health, however, sharing is caring (about yourself), and there's no such thing as too much information. Doctors need to know what you’re experiencing, if you have any symptoms—no matter how gross—and if they’re getting worse.

That’s especially true with potential cancer symptoms. Identifying cancer symptoms early often results in more available and less invasive treatment options and stronger outcomes. Ignoring symptoms too long may lead to detecting the disease in advanced stages, which may pose more treatment challenges. In fact, most cancer deaths have been attributed to metastasis, when the cancer has spread beyond the primary tumor.

Patients, however, are tight lipped when it comes to revealing symptoms they may consider embarrassing. Who wants to talk about blood in the stool or an unusual fluid discharge? And they may be concerned about the eventual diagnosis or the associated diagnostic poking and prodding that may result from revealing symptoms.

“There are lots of reasons why people delay care,” says Anthony Perre, MD, Intake Physician at City of Hope Atlanta. “Being frightened is certainly one of them.”

But indications from a United Kingdom study suggest it’s more than fear driving the aversion. A 2019 survey by the British health care group BUPA, found that 35 percent of Brits put off getting bowel cancer symptoms checked because they’re embarrassed.

“It’s key that we normalize conversations about bowel movements and poo in order for people to stop feeling embarrassed and come forward if they’re experiencing symptoms,” Dr Diana Tait, Clinical Oncologist at BUPA’s Cromwell Hospital, said in the survey report. “If you notice any blood in your poo, changes to your bowel movement, bloating or abdominal pain after eating, see your [doctor] as soon as possible. Don’t put it off—early diagnosis really does save lives.”

In this article, we’ll explore:

• Why people may ignore potential symptoms
• Cancer symptoms people may find embarrassing
• Cancers that may cause embarrassing symptoms
• Why early diagnosis is key

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer and want to get a second opinion about your diagnosis or treatment options, call us or chat online with a member of our team.

Why people may ignore potential symptoms

Disease symptoms may go unaddressed for a combination of reasons. In a 2010 survey conducted in the United Kingdom, respondents said they didn’t visit the doctor after experiencing a potential cancer symptom because they:

• Didn’t know which doctor to see
• Could take care of it themselves
• Didn’t have time
• Thought the symptoms would go away
• Couldn’t find a doctor or were awaiting an appointment
• Thought they were being silly

In the United States, many people in rural areas, in Native American communities and some urban neighborhoods may delay getting checked because they may not have a primary care physician or ready access to a doctor or clinic. Also, many people who don’t have insurance may also be concerned about the costs of a doctor’s visit, tests and treatments.

“Sometimes, it's as simple as time and access to health care,” Dr. Perre says. “And there's a number of people, especially during the pandemic, who want to avoid going into the doctor’s office.”

Many people aren’t aware of common cancer symptoms or don’t regularly screen themselves for early signs of the disease. For instance, a survey by the testicular cancer advocacy group CACTI (Center for Advocacy for Cancer of the Testes International) found that about 45 percent of men never or rarely examine themselves for testicular cancer. And nearly half of all men didn't know the importance of a self-examination or didn't take the notion of one seriously.

"It's detectable if someone is doing a self-exam," says Farshid Sadeghi, MD, Urologic Oncologist and Medical Director of the Genitourinary Center at City of Hope Phoenix. "But it may be detected at a more advanced stage if young men never check themselves.”

Cancer symptoms people may find embarrassing

Cancer may cause many symptoms that are hard to ignore. Pain, difficulty swallowing or breathing and unexplained weight loss may be difficult to dismiss, especially if they interfere with quality of life or are noticed by loved ones.

But many cancer symptoms may only be seen or felt under clothing, in the bathroom or otherwise behind closed doors, including:

• Blood in the stool
• Blood in the urine
• Vaginal discharge
• Nipple discharge
• Difficulty urinating
• Breast changes or lumps
• A lump on the penis or testes

“These can be embarrassing symptoms, for sure,” Dr. Perre says. “And sometimes, we see people who delayed care because they have some level of embarrassment. It's human nature to kind of downplay symptoms. Take rectal bleeding, for instance. Many people who I've seen thought perhaps that it was just related to something simple, like a hemorrhoid, and they didn't want to go to the doctor to get an invasive examination or a rectal examination.”