Nonspecific signs of cancer include night sweats, fever, headaches, or increased need for sleep. Patients with a new brain cancer may present with seizures or headaches.

Patients with head and neck cancer may have a new nodule associated with difficulty with breathing or swallowing. These patients can also developed hoarse voice. Patients with lung cancer can develop a cough, which does not go away, hoarseness, recurrent pneumonia, chest pain, or coughing up blood. Patients with breast cancer may develop a nodule in the breast or axilla.

People who develop esophageal cancer often may have a difficult time swallowing or pain with swallowing. This may be associated with weight loss or an increase in reflux type symptoms. Patients with stomach cancer may develop dark black stool, fatigue associated with anemia, or abdominal pain. Colon cancer may present with blood in the stool or dark stool. Patients may have a new anemia related to iron deficiency. They may develop constipation or diarrhea which does not resolve. People with rectal cancer can have similar symptoms and may develop pain and a lower back or rectum. Kidney cancer may present with flank pain or blood in the urine. These people also sometimes developed bone pain from metastatic disease or fatigue related to anemia. Patients with ovarian cancer often have abdominal swelling related to fluid accumulation in the abdomen. Testicular cancer is often characterized by a new testicular mass.