I am healthy now but how would I know if I have cancer?

[recondite7]

I am a healthy 22 year old guy, but it occured to me that if I had cancer there would be no way I would know about it until I got very sick.

What are some things I should do to protect myself against having undetected cancer for a long period of time? Would yearly checkups with bloodwork be the best thing to do to help detect cancer (or any other illness)?

It just seems like such an easier thing to fight when it's detected early and it seems weird to me that I am not doing anything of the sort. Thoughts?

[Hopey]

A friend of mine had leukemia and the symptoms first appeared as a really bad cold/flu that wouldn't go away for a couple of weeks. He felt completely worn down, but attributed it to his body fighting off a virus. He kept going to work because he was new at the job and didn't want to call in sick. He finally developed a horrible fever and collapsed on his front porch on his way to work one morning. His neighbour saw him and called an ambulance.

[baumer]

Make sure your nuts aren't lumpy.

[WhoIam]

You need to chill. How do you know you don't have a heart defect that will cause you to drop dead one day if it isn't fixed? How do you know you aren't predisposed to having an aneurysm? Maybe you'll have a seizure on the freeway. You can't worry too much about this stuff. Most cancer is found in people significantly older than you. Testicular cancer is a risk for your age group, so check yourself in the shower every month or two. If you're really paranoid about this and have the money, get an executive physical once a year.

[kyleb]

Hello overreactaments

[Skoob]

Brain tumor.

[Ron Burgundy]

Ron Burgundy's Guide To Cancer Prevention:

- Wear sunblock lotion when it's hot and sunny

- Don't go near Chernobyl

You're welcome!

[amplify]

Better get a mastectomy just in case.

[dylan's alias]

I'll give you real advice, after the obligatory "what the hell are you worried about, chill out."

Don't smoke.

I'll repeat it.

Don't smoke.

Simple as that. As a 22 year old, there is pretty much nothing to worry about. If, unfortunately, you do end up with a cancer at a young age, there is pretty much no way to prevent it or to detect it early (self-testicular exam is probably a reasonable exception). Not smoking is the single best thing you can do to prevent many types of cancer. When you are old enough (50), a colonoscopy will be a good idea, as will a regular prostate exam.

One last time: don't smoke.

- Dylan's Alias, MD

[jesusarenque]

Visit your doctor regularly. I thought I was perfectly healthy a couple of years ago, until my doctor found a lump on my throat that turned out to be cancer. I was 24.