What are the Common Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer?
Colorectal cancer is the term that is used to describe cancer occurring in the rectum, colon, or both. This particular form of cancer affects women and men of all ethnic and racial groups and is usually common in people over 50 years of age.
Types of Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer can affect you in various forms. The most common type is Adenocarcinoma (forms in the glands and spreads to other body parts). Other types of colorectal cancer are-
• Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours
• Carcinoids
• Lymphoma
• Juvenile Polyposis Coli
• Familial Colorectal Cancer
• Turcot Syndrome
• Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome
Colorectal cancer develops in either a benign or a malignant form. If the cancer is malignant, it will gradually spread to the other parts of the body and can become life-threatening. Nevertheless, early detection and treatment can prevent it from spreading.
How do You Detect Colorectal Cancer?
The early symptoms of colorectal cancer can help detect the onset of the disease. The symptoms depend on the location and size of cancer. Common signs of colorectal cancer may include the following-
• Change in bowel pattern (this includes constipation, diarrhoea, change in the consistency of stool, or your bowel may not empty completely)
• Abdominal discomfort that persists - gas, cramps, bloating accompanied by pain
• Feeling full even after not eating for a long time
• Bleeding from the rectum while passing stool
• Weakness/fatigue
• Yellowing of the eyes and skin (like in the case of jaundice)
• You may start losing weight for no reason
• A lump at the back of the rectal passage or in the abdomen
The symptoms of colorectal cancer are often linked to other health disorders but only a medical professional can detect the cause. Early signs of the disease do not indicate pain; so many times people tend to ignore the warning signs. Therefore, it is imperative that you do not take long before visiting a specialist. Early diagnosis can help you battle colorectal cancer.
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