Doctors should suspect cancer in older men who complain of fatigue, a new study suggests.
It comes after a study found that men in their 80s who complained of fatigue to their GP were twice as likely to have the condition, compared to those who went to their GP for another reason.
However, this increased risk was not seen in women of the same age, the experts found.
The findings were based on data from more than 300,000 patients who went to their GP for fatigue compared to almost 425,000 who sought help for a non-fatigue-related problem and acted as a control group, between 2007 and 2017.
Researchers, including experts from University College London, found that men over 80 who complained of fatigue had a 7 percent chance of having cancer.
This compares with a chance of just 3 per cent of men of a similar age seeing their GP for another problem.
The authors, who published their findings in the British Journal of General PracticeHe noted that current guidelines do not recommend that primary care physicians consider cancer as a potential risk factor in men of this age who complain of fatigue.
“The age-specific findings support recommendations to prioritize cancer research in older men with fatigue, but not in women,” they wrote.
Doctors should suspect cancer in older men who complain of fatigue, a new study suggests. stock image
The authors suggested that the increased risk of cancer in older men, but not women, could be explained by men not seeking help for possible cancer symptoms as early as their female counterparts, who are more direct in seeking help.
However, they said more research was needed to replicate their findings in both non-British patients and post-Covid patients to see if patterns had changed.
It has long been established that cancer risk is closely related to age, as damage to cells, which can trigger the disease, accumulates over time.
Britons aged between 85 and 89 are the most likely to suffer from cancer, according to data from Cancer Research UK.
Fatigue is considered one of the classic signs of cancer, although it can also be caused by other conditions.
Cancer can cause fatigue in several ways, some of which are specific to certain types of cancer.
The most obvious form is cancer itself, where the growing tumor drains the body of calories and nutrients to fuel its own growth, depriving the person of energy.
Certain cancers, such as breast and prostate cancer, change the body’s production of hormones, which can cause fatigue.
Cancer can also cause the body to release substances called cytokines in an attempt to boost the immune system, but which can cause fatigue as a side effect.
Certain cancers also release toxic chemicals that interfere with the way the body processes substances that help our muscles function and, as a result, can make people feel tired.
Finally, some cancers, such as lung cancer and some forms of stomach cancer, can cause difficulty breathing or fluid buildup, respectively, which can also make people feel physically tired due to these problems.
People who feel constantly tired are urged to contact their GP for advice.
While it is unlikely to be due to cancer, the earlier the disease is detected, the easier it is to treat, so it is important to get screened.
Additionally, even if it is not cancer, it means that other possible causes can be investigated, such as stress, depression or a hormonal problem.