bowel cancer symptoms | Symptoms of colorectal cancer

Symptoms of colorectal cancer




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Symptoms of colorectal cancer are:

presence of blood (light or dark red) in or on stool;
modification of intestinal activity (constipation or diarrhea) without reason for more than six weeks;
weight loss without reason;
pain localized in the abdomen or anus;
feeling of incomplete emptying of the intestine after evacuation.
Sometimes even a sense of exhaustion can be a symptom of illness. This happens in cases where the tumor causes bleeding, thereby inducing an anemia condition, which, in turn, can cause a sensation of shortness of breath. In some cases the tumor can cause blockage or obstruction of the intestine, which occur with nausea and vomiting, constipation, pain in the abdomen and feeling of fullness.

Although these symptoms may be caused by other pathological conditions it is very important to always go to the doctor for a check. Colorectal cancers are more common in people over the age of 50, while they are rarer in younger people. For this reason the described symptoms may be indicative of other disorders.

If the intestinal disorders do not improve within a few weeks or even get worse, consult a specialist, who will submit to all the investigations that will be most appropriate to find out the cause.

Screening
The chances of recovery increase considerably if the disease is diagnosed and, as a consequence, treated, when it is still at an early stage. In Italy a special screening program has been developed for the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer that the health authorities are progressively extending to the whole country.

All men and women between the ages of 50 and 69 can undergo the Hemoccult test free of charge for stool occult blood research every two years. Individuals of more advanced age are not invited to undergo the test, but may request it with similar periodicity.

The Hemoccult is not used to diagnose the disease, but to ascertain if there are traces in the stool, even small, of blood that are invisible to the naked eye (not by chance we talk about the search for 'occult' blood, that is 'hidden') , because intestinal tumors and polyps can sometimes bleed. If the result is positive, ie if there are traces of occult blood in the stool, the person is invited to undergo colonoscopy to ascertain the cause of bleeding through direct observation of intestinal loops.