Introduction
The symptoms of colorectal cancer are generally very uncharacteristic. Unfortunately, there are no reliable symptoms, especially in the early stages, that can be used to make a simple diagnosis.
General symptoms of colon cancer
One symptom of colorectal cancer can be an admixture of blood in the stool. This occurs most frequently in rectal cancer. In this case the blood is often (bright) red and easily visible.
As a rule of thumb, the higher up the cancer sits in the intestinal tract, the darker to black is the blood in the stool. However, this statement is not always true in all cases! It must also be noted that no blood in the stool is not a sign that nothing is present, as the admixture of blood is not mandatory.
Sudden changes in stool habits are also conspicuous at the age of over 40 years. Such changes can be, for example, a change between diarrhoea (diarrhoea) and constipation (constipation). A more frequent urge to defecate and flatulence, which can lead to simultaneous bowel movements, can also occur.
Abdominal pain can also occur in the context of intestinal cancer, but is not mandatory. Also a warning sign are changes in the bowel movements which lead to a foul-smelling stool. and black stool
Signs of early-stage colon cancer
One of the reasons why colorectal cancer is such an important and common cancer today is that unfortunately colorectal cancer presents without specific symptoms in the early stages. The signs do not make many affected people think of bowel cancer so quickly. Therefore it is important to take part in preventive medical checkups and to consult a doctor if you suspect a cancer.
Signs of early-stage bowel cancer can be general symptoms such as fever, fatigue or reduced performance with increased paleness of the skin. Unconscious weight loss may occur. Furthermore, changes in bowel movements are frequent.
The bowel movement can occur more frequently or be in a so-called “pencil-thin” form. Occasionally, malodorous defecation may occur early on. Bloating and loud bowel sounds can also occur in early-stage bowel cancer.
Typical symptoms of colon cancer
The following symptoms are typical of bowel cancer: constipation or diarrhoea Thin pencils, frequent or foul-smelling bowel movements Blood in the stool Mucus in the stool Abdominal pain up to and including bowel cramps Flatulence Weight loss Loss of appetite Loss of performance, tiredness, paleness
- Constipation or diarrhoea
- Pencil-thin, frequent or foul-smelling bowel movements
- Blood in the stool
- Phlegm in the stool
- Stomach aches up to intestinal cramps
- Flatulence
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of performance, fatigue, paleness
Symptoms of rectal cancer
If the colorectal cancer is located in the rectum, i.e. the last section of the intestine, separate symptoms may occur. These include not only blood in the stool but also mucus deposits. It is important that blood in the stool can also come from haemorrhoids.
Nevertheless, such blood admixtures should not be dismissed, but should be examined for intestinal cancer even if haemorrhoids exist at the same time. It is also important that the blood is not always visible in the stool with the naked eye. There are special tests for this, such as the occult blood test of the stool, which tests for blood in the stool.
Another symptom that can indicate bowel cancer in the rectum is the so-called “pencil stool”. Here, the narrowing of the intestinal lumen by the cancer leads to a thinner stool. Frequent and involuntary defecation and wind defecation also occur in this context. Especially in the case of rectal cancer, it may even be possible to palpate a hardening and the lumen displacement of the intestine during a digital-rectal examination.
