What is colorectal cancer? This is an oncological disease that is malignant in nature. As a rule, this severe disease affecting the gastrointestinal tract affects the population of industrialized countries. Japan has been the only rare exception to this rule until recently.
But now colorectal cancer is increasingly affecting even the inhabitants of this country. Scientists suggest that by the end of this century, this disease will become common in the Land of the Rising Sun. There is a point of view that colorectal cancer often develops in people who eat more protein products than plant fiber.
The disease can form in any part of the colon. The rectum and colon are usually affected. Sometimes colorectal cancer is diagnosed in the sigmoid colon.
Quite often this disease affects the cecum. The bulk of the diseased are older people, although in rare cases, colorectal canceryoung people are also affected. This cancer affects both women and men equally.
At an early stage, this disease, like most other cancers, does not cause any symptoms. However, sometimes there are harbingers that you should definitely pay attention to. Specifically, symptoms of colorectal cancer may include:
• chair deformation (it becomes in the form of a "pencil" or takes a "twisted" shape);
• dark blood in stool;
• fatigue and lack of appetite;
• weight loss;
• diarrhea or constipation.
In the later stages of the disease, patients report pain in the pelvis.
You should definitely consult a doctor if you notice changes in your stool or blood. Especially if there is bleeding from the rectum. It is possible that such symptoms are observed due to hemorrhoids, but it is better if a doctor makes such a conclusion based on the results of the tests. The doctor may prescribe you a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy - rectal examinations with the introduction of a flexible tube into the intestine.
Colorectal cancer symptoms
Another important signal to see a doctor is persistent abdominal pain, especially if there is unexplained weight loss and fatigue. These symptoms can be caused by a wide variety of diseases, but can also be indicative of cancer.
If you have anemia, your doctor should rule out a possible cause such asbleeding due to cancer.
And remember, the sooner colorectal cancer is found, the more successful the treatment will be. There are many different types of diagnostic tests to detect this disease.
First of all, doctors strongly recommend having a fecal occult blood test every year. Its presence may indicate the presence of colon cancer at an early stage. Colonoscopy is the most informative tool to detect this disease.
