National Cancer Institute
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Science Behind the News Understanding Cancer
 
A drawing of a doctor and a patient talking.

Early Cancer May Not Have Any
Symptoms

Don't wait to feel pain before getting checked for cancer because cancer does not always have symptoms. Some people visit the doctor only when they notice changes like a lump in the breast or unusual bleeding or discharge. However, early cancer may not have any symptoms. That is why screening for some cancers can help, particularly as you get older. Screening methods are designed to check for cancer in people with no symptoms.



 
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