Cancers A–Z
What it is · what to watch for · how it is found · how it is treated in South Africa, in both the public and private sector · what it costs · and where to go next.
The most commonly diagnosed cancer in South African women. Know your normal, and act on change within a week.
Read the guideAlmost entirely preventable through HPV vaccination and Pap screening, yet still our second-biggest killer.
Read the guideVague symptoms that persist: bloating, feeling full quickly, pelvic pain, needing to urinate urgently.
Read the guideBleeding after menopause is never normal. It is the single symptom that matters most here.
Read the guideBlood in the stool, a lasting change in bowel habit, or unexplained weight loss.
Read the guideA cough that will not clear after three weeks, breathlessness, or coughing up blood.
Read the guideSouth Africa has among the highest UV levels on earth. Watch moles for change in size, colour or edge.
Read the guidePersistent itching, a lump, or a sore that does not heal. Rare, treatable, and too often left unmentioned.
Read the guideRed flags
Most of the time these are not cancer. But they are always worth checking, and checking is free.
| Sign | What to look for | Act by |
|---|---|---|
| A new lump | Breast, armpit, neck or groin, especially one that is hard, fixed or painless. | See a clinic within 1 week |
| Bleeding after menopause | Any bleeding at all once your periods have stopped for 12 months. | See a clinic within 1 week |
| Bleeding after sex, or between periods | Especially if it keeps happening. | See a clinic within 2 weeks |
| Nipple change | Inward-turning nipple, discharge (particularly blood), rash, or dimpled skin. | See a clinic within 1 week |
| Persistent bloating | On most days for three weeks or more, with feeling full quickly. | See a clinic within 2 weeks |
| Unexplained weight loss | Losing weight without trying, plus fatigue that rest does not fix. | See a clinic within 2 weeks |
| A sore that will not heal | Anywhere on the skin, breast or vulva, lasting more than three weeks. | See a clinic within 2 weeks |
Heavy bleeding you cannot control · severe breathlessness · severe abdominal pain with vomiting · a sudden inability to pass urine · confusion or fainting. Do not wait for a clinic appointment.
Just diagnosed
Nobody remembers what was said in that room. This is the list to take back with you.
The one symptom: bleeding after menopause. Also heavy or irregular bleeding before menopause, or pelvic pain.
Risk rises with: obesity, diabetes, never having been pregnant, and some hormone therapies.
Found by: ultrasound and a biopsy of the womb lining. Often cured by surgery when found early.
Watch for: bloating on most days, feeling full quickly, pelvic or abdominal pain, urinating more urgently, for three weeks or more.
Risk rises with: family history of ovarian or breast cancer, BRCA1/BRCA2 variants, and age.
Found by: examination, ultrasound and a CA-125 blood test. There is no national screening programme, symptoms are the signal.
Watch for: blood in the stool, a change in bowel habit lasting three weeks, unexplained weight loss, ongoing tiredness.
Found by: stool test and colonoscopy. Polyps removed early never become cancer.
Watch for: a cough lasting more than three weeks, coughing blood, breathlessness, chest pain, repeated chest infections.
Note for SA: a history of TB, indoor smoke and mining dust exposure all matter, mention them to your doctor.
Watch for: a mole that changes in size, shape, colour or border; itches or bleeds; or a sore that will not heal.
All skin tones: melanoma in darker skin often appears on palms, soles and under nails. Check there too.
Watch for: persistent itching or burning, a lump or wart-like growth, a sore that does not heal, unusual bleeding.
Rare and highly treatable when caught early. Embarrassment is the biggest risk factor, a nurse has seen it before.
One short email a month: what to check, when to check it, and where it is free. Plus the Ubufazi magazine.