Signs & Symptoms of Colon Cancer Stage 4

Colorectal cancer is cancer of the intestines, colon or rectum (gastrointestinal system). According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer found in men and women in the United States with 146,970 new cases in 2009.

Adults over the age of 50 are more at risk; however, colorectal cancer can occur in individuals of all ages. Other factors for risk include dietary factors, history of colon polyps, family history of colorectal cancer, personal history of cancer and other gastrointestinal diseases.

Stage 4

• The severity of colorectal cancer, as most cancers, is defined through stages zero through four. The stage dictates the extent to which the cancer cells have spread within an individual’s body. Diagnosing the stage of colorectal cancer will also help to determine treatment options.

  According to Novartis Oncology US, colorectal cancer typically starts in the innermost lining of the digestive tract. Stage 4 is the final defined progression of colorectal cancer in which the cancer has spread from the colon or rectum lining into surrounding muscle and tissue, surrounding lymph nodes and to other areas of the body, such as the abdomen, liver, lungs or other organs. According to Merck.com, fewer than 1% of patients diagnosed with stage four colortectal cancer survive at least five years.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of stage 4 colorectal cancer are more severe or painful versions of the symptoms often described for the cancer in general, although not all colorectal patients have any noticeable symptoms at all. Such symptoms, as outlined by the National Institute of Health, include, but are not limited to, abdominal pain and tenderness, blood in the stool, changes in bowel habits such as consistent diarrhea or constipation, intestinal obstruction, unexplained anemia, narrow stool, painful bowel movements, feeling of not being able to completely empty the bowels, extreme fatigue, or unexplained weight loss.

Precaution

• If you have any of the symptoms of colorectal cancer, be sure to talk to your doctor or see a gastroenterology specialist. Many diagnoses will be made my performing a colonoscopy. If cancer cells or precancerous polyps are detected early, colorectal cancer is very curable.