Signs And Symptoms Of Colon Cancer

The signs of colon cancer are diverse and nonspecific. Virtually every symptom like changes in bowel evacuation (appearance, color and consistency of stools) and the presence of pain and discomfort in the abdomen, may or may not be a symptom of a tumor in the colon. It is important to know that colon tumor initially does not cause any symptoms. Symptoms occur once the disease has already progressed. If you are waiting for the examination, the disease can only further progress and change stage from curable to incurable. Therefore, it is important to do preventive examinations, screening, and if any problems appear, immediately contact your doctor. Colon tumor is growing slowly, so if we take this  into consideration the, there is time for treatment.

In the majority of patients diagnosed with colon cancer combination of bleeding and changes in defecation dominates, usually in the form of frequent discharge and mushy stool.
Bleeding is a common symptom for cancer located in the final parts of colon. Bleeding can be seen with the naked eye, in different amounts and different hues of red. If it is small and not visible it can be detect by faecal occult blood test (FOBT). Nothing is more tragical than to declare bleeding as a consequence of haemorrhoid disease without adequate examination missing potentially curable tumor. Also important, haemorrhoid disease can exist together with a polyp or intestinal cancer. Approximately 50% of patients with rectal bleeding, attributed their symptoms to hemorrhoids, and 75% of patients do not give importance to this symptom.

Other symptoms of colon cancer are: 

• shifts between diarrhea and constipation,
• difficulty in discharge, 
• the appearance of blood and / or mucus with or without stools, 
• abdominal pain(dull or as spasms), 
• nonspecific pain which is often neglected, 
• pain in the anus, which is rarely consequence of the tumor, but when this is the reason the tumor is either  very large or very low in the rectal channel, 
• palpable abdominal mass. 
• Inguinal hernia in the elderly, which is present for short time may indicate the presence of intestinal tumors.
• general symptoms:
•  loss of appetite and body weight,
•  fatigue,
•  anemia. 

In 1/3 of patients symptoms last about 6 months before the disease is diagnosed.

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