Colorectal Cancer Symptoms
Colorectal cancer affects an equal number of women and men each year, and is most often found in people over the age of 50. Excluding skin cancer, it is the third most diagnosed cancer for women, following breast and lung cancers. And it is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Colorectal cancer is often called a
silent disease since symptoms don't always develop until it is difficult to cure. The good news is that you can help prevent colorectal cancer, and it is mostly curable when it is found early through regular screening tests. The colon and rectum are parts of the body's digestive system, which removes nutrients from food and stores waste until it passes out of the body. Together, the colon and rectum form a long, muscular tube called the large intestine,
also called the large bowel. Cancer that begins in the colon is called colon cancer. Cancer that begins in the rectum is called rectal cancer. Cancers affecting either of these organs also may be called colorectal cancer. Like many people with colorectal cancer, you may have no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. When symptoms appear, they'll likely vary, depending on the cancer's size and location in your large intestine. In some cases, your symptoms may result from a condition other than cancer, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) , and sometimes diverticulosis or diverticulitis. Like colorectal cancer, these conditions are treatable.
Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer may include:
- A feeling that your bowel doesn't empty completely
- Unexplained weight loss
- Blood in your stool may be a sign of cancer, but it can also indicate other conditions. Bright red blood you notice on bathroom tissue may come from hemorrhoids or minor tears (fissures) in your anus, for example.
- A change in your bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation or a change in the consistency of your stool
- Narrow, pencil-thin stools
- Rectal bleeding or blood in your stool on more than one occasion
- Persistent abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, gas or pain
Certain foods, such as beets or red licorice, can turn your stools red. Iron supplements and some anti-diarrheal medications may make stools black. Still, it's best to have any sign of blood or change in your stools checked promptly by your doctor.
Colorectal Cancer Symptoms to C
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