How long can you have cancer without knowing it?

There are many people who have cancer without knowing it has been around for a long time. The incubation period for cancer can be fast or slow depending on the type of cancer. However, one thing in common is that most cancers only show symptoms and are diagnosed when the tumor is large enough to put pressure on the surrounding areas.

Having cancer without knowing it happens with cancers with faint symptoms, similar to many other diseases. How long does cancer incubate? The incubation period for cancer can be up to 10 years or longer without being detected. Here is a fact sheet about cancers that often have few or no early symptoms:

The early and later stages of asymptomatic cancers are described as follows:

Early signs and symptoms of cancer mainly appear when the tumor has grown large enough to press on nearby organs, tissues, blood vessels and nerves. This can cause pain or change in the function of the compressed organ. For example, a brain tumor that presses on the optic nerve can affect vision.
Some cancers metastasize quickly like liver cancer and pancreatic cancer, but there are also cancers that metastasize very slowly like prostate cancer. As a result, many older adults don't surgically remove the tumor, because the risk of dying from the larger surgery is greater than the tumor itself.

Cancer screenings are part of early health protection, they include the following types of cancer:
Prostate Breast Colon and rectum Cervical Skin Age, gender, family history and history Medical history are factors that determine when and how often to start routine screening.
You should also go to the doctor if you detect unusual signs related to cancer.

Some common signs of cancer that you should see a doctor as soon as possible include:
Coughing up bloody mucus Blood in stool or urine Tumors in the breast, testicles, under the arm or any where it didn't exist before Unexplained rapid weight loss Severe unexplained pain in the head, neck, chest, abdomen, or pelvis Symptoms will be evaluated by a doctor and screening tests such as Blood, urine, and imaging tests will be used if the doctor considers them appropriate to make the diagnosis and to rule out other causes of the symptoms.
When you see your doctor, be prepared to share the following:
Your medical history, including all symptoms experienced, as well as when they started Family history of cancer or other chronic conditions A list of all medications and supplements you take

For some cancers that are screened regularly, early diagnosis, before symptoms develop, improves survival rates.
The 5-year survival rate for people with breast or prostate cancer in situ is close to 100%. And when diagnosed early, melanoma has a 5-year survival rate of 99%.
However, early detection of some cancers is difficult. There are currently no guidelines for routine screening for some cancers, and symptoms may not show up until the cancer is in the late stages.
To help protect yourself from cancer you need to:
Make sure to follow up with regular blood tests and annual physicals Tell your doctor any new symptoms, even if they seem small Talk to your doctor about getting tested if you have a family history of cancer Early cancer screening is considered the “golden key” to early detection and prevention methods and treatment regimens effective letter to reduce the risk of death and reduce costs for patients. Currently, Vinmec has been a leading medical facility in the field of early detection of cancer, whereby the high-tech cancer screening package at Vinmec gives you the opportunity to screen and develop Timely detection of disease warning risks to optimize treatment efficiency and improve quality of life.

Reference source: healthline.com