Early detection is key to surviving cancer, however, signs of the deadly disease can often be hard to spot.
Many symptoms might be too subtle - or even non-existent - for you to pick up until the disease has progressed and the cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body.
The NHS advises that we keep track of any bodily changes that are out of the ordinary and have them investigated by a GP. Picking them up quickly enough provides a better a chance to prevent the spread of the disease.
One symptom which reportedly appears persistently when you wake up in the morning could be a sign of cancer, according to Abbas Kanani, a pharmacist at Chemist Click.
Here’s what you need to take note of.
What is the persistent sign of cancer appearing in the morning?
According to Mr Kanani, waking up a sore throat persistently and experiencing it for over two weeks with no signs of improving is a telltale sign of cancer.
The pharmacist also warned that a persistent cough could also be a major red flag of the disease.
He told the Express : "Smokers often wake up with a cough in the morning. However, a persistent cough for longer than two weeks should be checked out. Especially if you smoke."
Another sign that strikes in the morning and stay with you all day is fatigue. Mr Kanani said that while feeling a bit tired in the morning is normal, you should get yourself checked out if you notice “ fatigue lasting throughout the day.”
He added: "If you wake up in the morning and the bed is wet or damp from sweat, this indicates that you could have been experiencing night sweats. "Get this checked out with your GP, especially if night sweats are accompanied by fatigue, weight loss or bruising."
What are the common symptoms of cancer – how to reduce your risk?
The general signs of cancer according to Cancer.org are:
Swelling or lumps anywhere in the body
Fatigue or extreme tiredness that doesn't get better with rest
Unexplained weight loss
Eating problems such as not feeling hungry, trouble swallowing, belly pain, or nausea and vomiting
Changes in your poo or pee
While there’s no sure way to prevent cancer, you can do certain things to make getting cancer less likely.
Cancer Research UK explained: "Not smoking is the biggest thing you can do to reduce your risk of cancer. Chemicals in cigarette smoke get in to our blood stream and can cause damage around the body. If you smoke, the best thing you can do for your health is quit."
Similarly, drinking less alcohol also helps reduce risk of cancer, the charity adds.
It also doesn’t matter what type of alcohol it is, as it all leads to damage, with the NHS warning: "The risk to your health is increased by drinking any amount of alcohol on a regular basis.
Regular or frequent drinking means drinking alcohol most days and weeks.To reduce risk of alcohol-related follow the below advice:
Men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week on a regular basis
If you drink as much as 14 units a week, it's best to spread this evenly over three or more days
If you're trying to reduce the amount of alcohol you drink, it's a good idea to have several alcohol-free days each week
If you're pregnant or trying to become pregnant, the safest approach is to not drink alcohol at all to keep risks to your baby to a minimum
