Cancer often develops without noticeable symptoms until later stages, but recognizing early signs can lead to better outcomes. Here are five early warning signs that require medical attention:

1. **Unexplained Weight Loss**: Losing 10 pounds or more without changes in diet or activity could indicate cancer affecting metabolism. “Possible cancers include stomach, pancreas, liver, lung, esophageal, leukemia, or lymphoma.”

2. **Persistent Fatigue**: Unlike normal tiredness, cancer-related fatigue doesn’t improve with rest. “It may be linked to leukemia, lymphoma, colon, stomach, or liver cancer.”

3. **Skin Changes**: Watch for new or changing moles, sores that don’t heal, yellowing skin, or excessive itching. “These may signal melanoma, skin, liver, or pancreatic cancer.”

4. **Chronic Pain**: Persistent, unexplained pain may be a sign of bone, brain, ovarian, colorectal, or lung cancer.

5. **Unusual Lumps**: Hard, painless lumps that grow over time can indicate breast, testicular, thyroid, or lymphoma cancers.