Does cancer always cause pain?

No. According to the National Cancer Institute, cancer often does not cause pain.

This is an important reason not to wait to feel pain before seeing a doctor. If you have symptoms that last for a couple of weeks, it is important to see a doctor so that problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.

Cancer can cause many symptoms besides pain, and these symptoms are most often caused by illness, injury, benign tumors, or other problems. Examples of symptoms cancer may cause include a lump or firm feeling in the breast or under the arm, trouble or pain when urinating, unexplained bleeding or bruising, changes in bowel habits, a cough or hoarseness that does not go away, severe and lasting fatigue, fever or night sweats for no known reason, skin changes such as a new or changing mole, and unexplained weight gain or loss.

Because pain is not a reliable early warning sign, seeing a doctor about any symptom that lasts is the safest approach. A healthcare team can evaluate the symptom and recommend next steps.