According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2022, early diagnosis guaranteed the classification of “preventable death” for 1.4 million cancer patients. This scenario, without rapid medical intervention, would pose a greater risk to life. This is because some tumors can develop silently, with vague or non-existent symptoms in the early stages.

Clinical oncologist Marcos Rezende explains that small, localized tumors tend not to cause noticeable changes in the body. According to him, cancer usually starts to present symptoms when it invades nearby structures or compromises important functions of the body.

“When the tumor is very early, it tends to be small and localized. At this stage, it normally does not yet invade nearby structures. The body also has immunological tolerance mechanisms that make the cancer mask its presence initially, but, when diagnosis occurs early, most patients have a greater than 90% chance of cure”, he states.

Tumors that can evolve without obvious signs

The oncologist highlights that some organs take longer to signal the development of cancer. Among the most frequent examples are liverlung and pancreas. In many cases, the symptoms end up being confused with routine tiredness.

“Tumors such as ovarian and pancreatic cancer tend to have a silent behavior because they are able to grow in areas with available space. Furthermore, symptoms can be non-specific, such as weight loss and fatigue, which makes many people associate this with work or daily stress”, he notes.

In addition to these cases, Marcos Rezende mentions indolent lymphomas and some subtypes of breast cancer among the tumors that can evolve without obvious manifestations. The oncologist points out that, in certain situations, the patient does not even notice the presence of the lesion.

“O breast cancerdepending on the subtype, may be silent at first. Sometimes, the person does not notice any important changes initially. Therefore, tracking plays a decisive role in finding early injuries”, he points out.

Tumor size and location influence prognosis

The doctor explains that the severity of the disease does not just depend on the size of the tumor. Location also directly impacts clinical assessment. According to him, the same measure can represent different scenarios depending on the body affected.

“Each type of cancer has its own characteristics. A tumor measuring one centimeter in the kidney can be considered small, but this size in breast cancer requires a different analysis. The location directly influences the severity”, he analyzes.

Symptoms that persist deserve investigation

Marcos Rezende warns that symptoms Persistent infections should be investigated, especially when they last more than three months. These sensations, then, should sound like an alert for possible cancer. “We use the three-month rule a lot. If a symptom persists for a long time and doesn’t improve, there is something wrong. Mouth sores that don’t heal, changes in bowel rhythm and weight loss for no plausible reason need medical evaluation”, he says.

According to the oncologist, cancer is usually classified as initial when it remains restricted to the organ of origin, without metastasis or invasion of nearby structures. At this stage, treatment tends to present better clinical results.

Prevention and tracking are key

The expert also highlights that healthy habits and vaccination are part of the main preventive measures. Not smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, maintaining a balanced diet, practicing physical activity and undergoing periodic exams help reduce risks and increase early detection.

According to Marcos Rezende, tests such as pap smears, mammogramcolonoscopy and urological evaluations are available free of charge through the Unified Health System (SUS), which expands access to prevention and medical monitoring.

By Enzo Tres