{"id":2770,"date":"2026-06-23T14:08:50","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T14:08:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=2770"},"modified":"2026-06-23T14:08:50","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T14:08:50","slug":"im-an-oncologist-5-cancer-symptoms-people-dismiss-as-normal-aging-or-stress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=2770","title":{"rendered":"I’m an oncologist \u2014 5 cancer symptoms people dismiss as normal aging or stress"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Getting older comes with its share of aches, pains \u2014 but not every unwelcome change should be blamed on age. In fact, they can sometimes be symptoms of something more serious, including cancer.<\/p>\n

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\u201cOlder adults take longer to recognize that a symptom might be serious, in part because they attribute changes to aging rather than disease,\u201d Dr. Jad Chahoud, an oncologist and chief scientific and innovation officer with Orlando Health Cancer Institute, told the Post.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would estimate that a significant proportion of patients can look back and identify symptoms that were present for weeks or months before diagnosis but were attributed to aging, stress, work, a prior injury, menopause or other common conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n

So when should you worry?<\/p>\n

\u201cI tell patients not to panic over every symptom, but don\u2019t ignore persistent changes either,\u201d Chahoud said. \u201cIf something is new, unexplained and lasting more than a few weeks, it\u2019s worth discussing with your doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chahoud said fear is one of the biggest reasons people put off seeking medical care \u2014 whether it\u2019s fear of embarrassment, fear of what a doctor might discover or concern that they\u2019re wasting a physician\u2019s time.<\/p>\n

But waiting can come at a cost. Early detection is key because many cancers are far more treatable when caught early, and getting checked out sooner can save lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe goal isn\u2019t to make people anxious,\u201d he expained. \u201cIt\u2019s to make them aware that \u2018getting older\u2019 should not automatically be used to explain away changes in your health.\u201d <\/p>\n

Knowing which symptoms are commonly dismissed can help people recognize when it\u2019s time to call a doctor. Chahoud shared four cancer symptoms people often brush aside and why they deserve your attention.<\/p>\n

#1: Fatigue<\/h2>\n

Feeling exhausted, weak or foggy is easy to blame on a busy schedule, stress or simply aging. <\/p>\n

But persistent, unexplained fatigue can sometimes be associated with cancers, including colon cancer and kidney cancer, as well as blood cancers, like leukemia and lymphoma.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe key red flag: fatigue that is disproportionate to activity, progressive, and not relieved by rest,\u201d said Chahoud.<\/p>\n

#2: Unintentional weight loss<\/h2>\n

Some people may welcome unexpected weight loss \u2014 or assume that, couples with a smaller appetite, is par for the course as your birthdays tally up.<\/p>\n

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But Chahoud explained that dropping weight without trying can be a warning sign linked to several cancers, ranging from pancreatic and lung to stomach and colorectal.<\/p>\n

A loss of 5% or more body weight over the course of six to 12 months without an obvious reason should be evaluated.<\/p>\n

#3: Changes in bowel habits<\/h2>\n

While diet is often a culprit for constipation and diarrhea, bowel issues can also be a warning sign of colorectal cancer and should not be ignored, advised Chahoud.<\/p>\n

That includes changes to the shape, size, consistency or frequency of your poop. Pencil-thin poop, in particular,\u00a0could indicate a tumor near the end of the colon or lining its inside.<\/p>\n

Before his own colorectal cancer cancer diagnosis, \u201cDawson\u2019s Creek\u201d star James Van Der Beek \u2014 who died of the disease at 48 last summer, initially brushed off that his bowel movements had changed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought maybe I needed to stop coffee,\u201d he\u00a0told People\u00a0in 2024. \u201cOr maybe not put cream in the coffee. But when I cut that out and it didn\u2019t improve, I thought, \u2018All right, I better get this checked out.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

#4: Urinary symptoms<\/h2>\n
\n<\/div>\n

Frequent urination, waking up multiple times at night or noticing blood in urine are commonly associated with an enlarged prostate and old age, but could be indicators of bladder, kidney or prostate cancer cancer and should be discussed with a medical professional. <\/p>\n

#5: Persistent aches, pains or back pain<\/h2>\n

\u201cWhile most pain is not cancer, persistent or acute progressive pain can occasionally be associated with cancers involving the bones, kidneys, pancreas or other organs,\u201d warned the doc.<\/p>\n

Better safe than sorry<\/h2>\n

\u201cAging itself should not cause a rapid decline in how you feel or function,\u201d Chaboud stressed. \u201cThe goal isn\u2019t to make people anxious. it\u2019s to make them aware that \u2018getting older\u2019 should not automatically be used to explain away changes in your health.\u201d<\/p>\n

And one symptom alone rarely means cancer, he noted. \u201cWhat concerns physicians is a symptom that doesn\u2019t go away, is getting worse, or is accompanied by other warning signs such as unexplained weight loss, bleeding, persistent fatigue, or declining physical function,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, being proactive about your health can make a world of difference.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe message that matters: Most cancers are more treatable when caught early, and no symptom is too \u2018trivial\u2019 to mention to a doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Many cancer symptoms overlap with changes people commonly associate with getting older, making treatable cancers more difficult to detect, according to Dr. Jad Chahoud, an oncologist. Knowing which symptoms are overlooked can help people recognize when it’s time to call a doctor. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2769,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-womens-health"],"yoast_head":"\nI'm an oncologist \u2014 5 cancer symptoms people dismiss as normal aging or stress - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=2770\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"I'm an oncologist \u2014 5 cancer symptoms people dismiss as normal aging or stress - Metro Transit Review\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Many cancer symptoms overlap with changes people commonly associate with getting older, making treatable cancers more difficult to detect, according to Dr. Jad Chahoud, an oncologist. 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