3 Less Well-Known Cancers

When people hear the word ‘cancer’, their minds will often think of the more well-known types of the disease, such as lung cancer, breast cancer, or perhaps skin cancer. However, although these conditions are serious and should be paid attention to, it’s also worth understanding more about less well-known cancers because it’s so easy to miss them and not get diagnosed. With that in mind, here are some of the less well-known cancers and their symptoms so you have a better idea of what to look out for.

Hodgkin Lymphoma

Hodgkin lymphoma, sometimes also called Hodgkin disease, is a rare type of cancer found in the body’s lymphatic system. It might be rare, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen, so it’s wise to know the symptoms so you can get help as soon as possible if you think you might be suffering from this particular disease. Some of the symptoms of this particular type of cancer include weight loss, night sweats, persistent fatigue, itching, and enlarged lymph nodes.

Diagnosing Hodgin lymphoma requires a specialist to carry out physical exams and imaging tests, and to take biopsies, which, combined, can give you a better idea of whether you have the disease or not. Once diagnosed, a treatment plan can be put in place, which can be a combination of things, including radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The good news is that if caught early, the survival rate of Hodgin lymphoma is high.

Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma, or bile duct cancer, is far less well known than some other forms of the disease and, as the name suggests, it forms in the bile ducts (tubes that carry bile from the liver to the small intestine). This is a difficult cancer to diagnose and treat, so the sooner you notice any symptoms, the better – as long as you get help, that is.

The issue is that cholangiocarcinoma often doesn’t present any symptoms at all at first, so it can already have done some damage by the time anyone does notice it. Of course, once it does present symptoms, it’s hard to ignore because one of the main signs of this disease is jaundice. Other symptoms include stomach pain and weight loss. There are a number of different treatments for this cancer, and it will depend on how advanced it is by the time it’s spotted as to what treatment is best. Some ideas include removing the bile ducts or chemotherapy.

Thymoma

If you’ve never heard of the thymus, you’re probably not alone – it’s a small organ found in the chest, behind the breastbone, and it makes white blood cells called T-cells, which fight infection. Thymoma, as you might expect, is a cancer of the thymus, and it can have serious consequences when it comes to your immune system.

The biggest issue is that this kind of cancer has symptoms that could be many other things as well, including a cough, chest pain, and difficulty swallowing, making it hard to diagnose. However, since all of these symptoms need to be checked out by a professional, it’s always good to make an appointment with your doctor if you feel any of them. If you do have a thymoma, treatment includes surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

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