The Symptoms of Rectal Cancer
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The symptoms of rectal cancer are very similar to colon cancer signs and symptoms. But rectal cancer is not the same as traditional colon cancer.
What's the Difference Between Rectal and Colon Cancer?
Rectal cancer only affects the bottom portion of the colon rather than the entire length of the colon. The causes of colon cancer are often linked to the presence of polyps in the colon. The polyps are capable of becoming cancerous over time and that is why they need to be removed. Most colon cancer survivor stories have to do with early diagnosis.
The medical techniques to detect and remove rectal colon cancer polyps have greatly reduced the number of people who suffer from symptoms of rectal cancer. Rectal cancer can occur again is any person, especially when a person has a family history of colon cancer. Here is a brief review of the rectal cancer symptoms that you should be looking out for:
Warning Signs
- Bleeding Rectal Colon Cancer Symptoms - you should seek immediate care from your physician if you see blood mixed in with your stool. There are other reasons for bleeding to occur, such as resulting from hemorrhoids. But you should still immediately notify a doctor any time rectal bleeding occurs. Rectal bleeding on a prolonged basis, even in small quantities, is capable of leading to anemia.
- Obstruction Symptoms - rectal polyps are capable of growing so large that they prevent stool from passing normally. This blockage may go lead to constipation or severe pain during a bowel movement. The blockage may also cause cramping or abdominal pain. Having stool that is pencil thin is a sign that rectal cancer is causing an obstruction. People who have rectal cancer may also feel as if they cannot completely evacuate their stool during or after a bowel movement.
- Weight Loss Symptoms - cancer of all types may cause a loss of weight. Unexplained weight loss should cause you to have a medical evaluation.
Hidden Symptoms
There are sometimes other symptoms of rectal cancer but many of them do not show themselves until the cancer has progressed to a point where the prognosis is no longer positive. The rectal cancer symptoms listed above are the most common rectal cancer symptoms for the earlier stages of the cancer. There is still a chance that the rectal cancer has not grown or spread to other parts of the colon or elsewhere in the body.
Don't Wait to Get Screened!
That is why we urge you to get regular colonoscopy screenings and be aware of your bodily functions for the time when they feel or look different. Both colon cancer and rectal cancer can be treated successfully most often when they are caught early.
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- Symptoms of Rectal Cancer - Rectal and colon cancer symptoms are very similar and may not be obvious until after years of cancerous growth. The medical techniques to detect and remove rectal colon cancer polyps have greatly reduced the number of people who suffer from symptoms of rectal cancer. Some warning signs include...
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- Left Side Stomach Pain - Left side stomach pain is a condition that can be harmless or it can mean something serious is going on. If left side abdominal pain means you have cancer, the doctor will do a colonoscopy. If cancer is found, surgery is done on the affected area and all...
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- Signs of Bowel Cancer = There are often no signs of bowel cancer in the early stages of the disease. This is partly why doctors are recommending that people at the age of fifty or older get a screening colonoscopy and get one at least every ten years after that.
