Back pain as a symptom of colon cancer

Introduction

Colon cancer can manifest itself in the form of various symptoms. Apart from digestive disorders, pain is the main symptom. In addition to the typical abdominal pain, these can also occur in the area of the back, for example. The reasons for this are, on the one hand, local tumorous growths that radiate into the back area due to the close proximity and, on the other hand, metastases that can be found mainly in the spinal column in the case of bony involvement and can cause severe pain there.

Why can back pain be a symptom of colon cancer?

Colon cancer often causes pain, especially in the later stages of the disease, which can occur in the back as well as in the abdominal area. Certain parts of the intestine are located close to the back. Depending on the localization and the extent of the tumorous changes and growths in colorectal cancer, this can lead to radiation in the area of the back.

However, the more frequent reason for the occurrence of back pain in colorectal cancer is the presence of metastases in the spinal column. In its late stages, colorectal cancer often spreads to bones, especially the spine. Here, the bone metastases lead to local compression of the spinal cord and fractures of the vertebral bodies, which can cause severe pain that is usually difficult to bear.

The most common cause of back pain as a symptom of colorectal cancer is metastases in the area of the spine. A metastasis is a carry-over of cells and tissue of the tumor to another place in the body. In principle, this can affect any organ of the body.

Often the metastasis is located along lead structures. These are mostly lymphatic channels (=lymphogenic metastasis) or vessels (=haematogenic metastasis). Depending on the path of spread, the metastasis can also be located in close proximity to the tumor’s original point of origin or far away from it.

A metastasis in a tumor disease is always an indication of an already advanced course. If metastases are found in the course of examinations, advice must be given on the therapeutic options available. Unfortunately, these are usually very limited in a late tumor stage.