Nearly all cases of colorectal cancer develop from polyps. They start in the inner lining of the colon and most often affect the left side of the colon and rectum.
The location in the colon where cancer develops is one of the factors that's considered when developing your customized treatment plan.
Right-sided colon cancers (RSCC or proximal tumors) occur in the cecum, ascending colon, hepatic flexure and/or transverse colon, while left-sided colon cancers (LSCC or distal tumors) arise in the splenic flexure, descending colon, and/or sigmoid colon.
Some cancers (such as colon cancer) present with a dull ache in the lower belly, or lower back. For some, this may feel less like an obvious pain, and more like a discomfort. Bellyaches that persist should not be ignored, as they can be a warning sign of a more serious problem.
Diarrhea, constipation, or feeling that the bowel does not empty completely. General abdominal discomfort, such as frequent gas pains, bloating, fullness and/or cramps. Constant feeling of fatigue or tiredness.
Colon cancer is considered a silent disease. Most of the time there are no symptoms. The symptoms that people may experience include a change in bowel habits, abdominal pain, blood in the stool, and weight loss. If individuals have these symptoms, the disease may already have advanced.
A persistent change in your bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation or a change in the consistency of your stool. Rectal bleeding or blood in your stool. Persistent abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, gas or pain. A feeling that your bowel doesn't empty completely.
Abdominal pain, aches, or cramps may be symptoms of colorectal cancer. If you have any symptoms that worry you, be sure to see your doctor right away.
Colon cancer can cause both constipation and diarrhea. A person may feel cramp-like pain in the stomach. The stool may be streaked or mixed with blood. In rectal cancer, the most common symptom is usually bleeding when going to the bathroom.
Abdominal pain is the most common symptom of colon cancer. In right colon cancer, pain is vague, dull and annoying and may be confused with gall badder disease or peptic ulcer. The charac teristic feature of the pain is that it is un characteristic.
In most cases, colon and rectal cancers grow slowly over many years. Most of those cancers start as a growth called a polyp.
Since left-sided tumors have polypoid morphology, it is easier to detect them with colonoscopy in the early stages of carcinogenesis. Right-sided CRC have flat morphology that is difficult to detect [7, 8]. Right-sided CRC patients tend to have advanced and bigger tumors, which are often poorly differentiated.
Colorectal cancer symptoms may be minor or non-existent during the early stages of the disease, although there may be some early warning signs. The symptoms of colorectal cancer may not develop until the disease has progressed into stage 2 or beyond.
Colon cancer, or cancer that begins in the lower part of the digestive tract, usually forms from a collection of benign (noncancerous) cells called an adenomatous polyp. Most of these polyps will not become malignant (cancerous), but some can slowly turn into cancer over the course of about 10-15 years.
A CT scan uses x-rays to make detailed cross-sectional images of your body. This test can help tell if colorectal cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes or to your liver, lungs, or other organs.
Polyps are common in American adults, and while many colon polyps are harmless, over time, some polyps could develop into colon cancer. While the majority of colon cancers start as polyps, only 5-10% of all polyps will become cancerous.
No blood test can tell you if you have colon cancer. But your doctor may test your blood for clues about your overall health, such as kidney and liver function tests. Your doctor may also test your blood for a chemical sometimes produced by colon cancers (carcinoembryonic antigen, or CEA).
Chronic abdominal pain or cramps.
Abdominal pain is considered a late stage colon cancer symptom. You may feel ongoing pain in your abdominal area, and worsening cramps that may not go away after a bowel movement. Severe bloating may accompany pain in your abdomen, as well as pelvic pain.
Despite these concerns, there may be subtle clues that suggest the onset of a malignancy, including: Narrow "pencil" stools: Caused by the narrowing of the intestinal passage as the tumor starts to grow. Pain with defecation: Also known as dyschezia, a symptom commonly associated with rectal cancer.
Lack of regular physical activity. A diet low in fruit and vegetables. A low-fiber and high-fat diet, or a diet high in processed meats. Overweight and obesity.
Symptoms Bowel cancer
a persistent change in bowel habit – pooing more often, with looser, runnier poos and sometimes tummy (abdominal) pain. blood in the poo without other symptoms of piles (haemorrhoids) – this makes it unlikely the cause is haemorrhoids.
Colorectal cancer can occur in young adults and teenagers, but the majority of colorectal cancers occur in people older than 50. For colon cancer, the average age at the time of diagnosis for men is 68 and for women is 72.
Myth: I don't need a colonoscopy because I'm not having any symptoms. Fact: Many people are diagnosed with colon cancer when they are feeling just fine. People don't think they can have colon cancer if they feel OK, but they most certainly can.
Colon cancer is typically slow-growing, starting as a benign polyp that eventually becomes malignant. This process may occur over many years without producing any symptoms. Once colon cancer has developed, it may still be years before it is detected.