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Colon and Rectal Cancer Symptoms

Colon and rectal cancer have many symptoms, some of which can be identified by physicians in the early stages of the disease. This type of cancer is one of the most dangerous as only around 50 percent of people survive after the first two stages according the American Cancer Society. Some of the symptoms develop far into the sickness, even having the ability to cause other problems, such as Crohn's Disease and ulcers.

  1. General Symptoms

    • The first signs of colon and rectal cancer is a feeling of fatigue and weakness. Often, patients suffering from this type of cancer report that they don't have the energy to do simple tasks like take out the garbage or make dinner. This is usually not used to diagnose a patient with cancer, as the symptoms are very common with many other diseases.

    Bowel Movements

    • A warning sign for colon or rectal cancer is a noticeable change of bowel habits. If a person has trouble with making a bowel movement or is making too many, it is a sure sign that something is wrong. Usually, this symptom is associated with abdominal pain and possibly the feeling of constipation. Chronic diarrhea is also a problem associated with the disease.

    Weight Loss

    • Although common with many diseases, especially cancer, weight loss is a common symptom of colon or rectal cancers. Most commonly seen in conjunction with other symptoms, weight loss is very prominent because of damage being done to the digestive track. Nutrients have a harder time being absorbed due to cancerous cells.

    Stool Problems

    • Cancer of the colon and rectum most often cause changes in the actual stool itself. This is a good way to catch problems early and track the progress of the cancer or treatment methods. Stool is commonly liquid and most often contains red or darkened blood elements. When the disease progresses the amount of blood in stool can increase heavily, sometimes altering the color of the entire sample.

    Crohn's Disease

    • Colon and rectal cancer often leads to Crohn's Disease. This causes ulcers or ruptures in the lining of the small and large intestine. This causes excrement to enter the body cavity through these tears. This can ultimately cause poisoning and even death.

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