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Bowel Cancer Signs

Bowel cancer is the growth of a malignant tumor on the lining of either the small intestine or large intestine (also known as colorectal cancer). This type of cancer is most common in the large intestine, and those over 40 years of age are at a higher risk. Bowel tumors trigger many signs and symptoms, and if you are experiencing any of these it is best to visit your doctor as soon as possible because the prognosis (survival outcome) is dependent on early diagnosis.

  1. Stool Disorders

    • One of the most prominent symptoms of bowel cancer is a change in your bowel habits. This includes frequent diarrhea or constipation, or a combination of both, that lasts for more than six weeks. Flatulence, or gas, is also a common symptom. Your stool may also exhibit the presence of blood, pus or increased mucus.

    Bowel Obstruction

    • A tumor in the bowels can sometimes result in a blockage, or bowel obstruction. The symptoms of a bowel obstruction include extreme abdominal pain, bloating and constipation.

    Anemia

    • The tumors of bowel cancer often bleed. This bleeding can cause a shortage of red blood cells in the body, a condition known as anemia. Anemia results in extreme fatigue and shortness of breath.

    Other Symptoms

    • The patient may experience other symptoms associated with the bowel cancer. These include abdominal pain, pain while defecating, weight loss, decreased appetite, fatigue and fever.

    Conditions With Similar Symptoms

    • All of the symptoms mentioned above are not specific to bowel cancer. The same symptoms may indicate other conditions, some much less severe than cancer. Hemorrhoids are a common condition that is not serious, but may cause similar symptoms including blood in the stool and painful defecation. Other conditions such as ulcerative colitis (chronic inflammation of the large intestine) and Crohn's disease (an inflammatory immune disease affecting the intestines) can exhibit many of the same signs as bowel cancer.

    Treatment

    • Most patients with bowel cancer will undergo surgery to remove the section of the bowel with the tumor. Following surgery the patient may be advised to have radiation therapy or chemotherapy to make sure that all cancer cells are eradicated and all signs of the cancer are gone.

    Prognosis

    • Patients who pay attention to their signs and symptoms and seek medical care early have the best prognosis. If the cancer is caught early and is contained within the intestinal wall, the patient has a 99 percent chance of a full recovery. If the cancer has begun to spread through the wall of the intestine, the survival rate is reduced to 85 percent. Once the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, the survival rate drops to 66 percent.

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