Could having blood in the stool for five years be rectal cancer?

Written by Huang Gang

Gastroenterology

Updated on January 15, 2025

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If there has been blood in the stool for five years, whether it's colorectal cancer or not, this can only be confirmed through a colonoscopy. Furthermore, pathological tissue analysis and biopsy are necessary to make a definitive diagnosis.

Pathological examination is the gold standard for diagnosing cancer. If cancerous changes are present, surgical treatment should be undertaken promptly to prevent the spread of cancer cells. If there are no malignant changes, symptomatic treatment measures can be adopted. Conditions such as chronic colitis, ulcerative colitis, or hemorrhoids could also cause blood in the stool.

Other Voices

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Written by Liu Liang

Oncology

1min 19sec

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What tests are used to check for rectal cancer?

When clinical symptoms such as diarrhea or constipation, changes in bowel habits, bloody stools, and abdominal pain occur, we should be vigilant about the possibility of rectal cancer. The examination for rectal cancer can start with a digital rectal exam, especially for low-lying rectal cancer, which is closer to the anus; these tumors can be detected through this method. Then, a colonoscopy should be performed to take a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis, which is the gold standard for confirmation. Additionally, blood tests for tumor markers can be conducted. Generally, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA199 levels may be elevated, but this is not absolute as their specificity and sensitivity are not very high. An enhanced CT scan of the abdomen can also be done. In such scans, we can see thickening of the intestinal wall where the tumor is located, and the enhancement can show the intensified thickening of the intestinal wall. Combining all these methods can confirm the diagnosis of rectal cancer.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu

Gastroenterology

43sec

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Can a colonoscopy detect colon and rectal cancer?

Colonoscopy can detect colon and rectal cancers. By conducting a colonoscopy, it can be determined whether a space-occupying lesion is in the colon or the rectum. In the workplace, it can also confirm the distance from the anus in centimeters, to guide the next steps of surgical treatment. If a colon or rectal tumor is found during colonoscopy, a pathological biopsy may be needed. Combined with the pathological biopsy, a diagnosis can be made whether the patient has colon cancer or rectal cancer. At the same time, colonoscopy can also detect other diseases, such as colon polyps, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease of the colon, and so on.

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Written by Liu Liang

Oncology

58sec

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The difference between rectal cancer and colon cancer lies in the location of the cancer. Rectal cancer occurs in the rectum, which is the final part of the large intestine, while colon cancer occurs in other parts of the colon.

Rectal cancer and colon cancer are collectively referred to as colorectal cancer, named according to the different locations where the tumors occur. Rectal cancer occurs in the rectum. Colon cancer includes tumors in the transverse colon, descending colon, ascending colon, and sigmoid colon, and tumors in these areas are called colon cancer. Both are known as colorectal cancer, and they exhibit similar clinical manifestations, including rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, and changes in bowel habits, such as constipation, diarrhea, alternating constipation and diarrhea, and changes in stool shape, such as narrowing of the stool. They are merely named differently based on the location of the tumors and are collectively referred to as colorectal cancer.

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Written by Si Li Li

Gastroenterology

58sec

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How to rule out the possibility of rectal cancer

Common symptoms of rectal cancer include abdominal pain, changes in stool characteristics, and rectal bleeding. These symptoms could suggest the possibility of rectal cancer. An initial examination can be conducted via a digital rectal exam to preliminarily exclude rectal cancer. If a mass is felt during the digital rectal exam, a high suspicion of rectal cancer should be maintained. Additionally, a colonoscopy can be performed for a definitive diagnosis. If a mass on the rectal mucosa is observed during the colonoscopy, a biopsy can be conducted for histopathological examination to determine the nature of the mass. Generally, if the surface of the mass is uneven, brittle, and bleeds easily, the likelihood of malignancy is high while a smooth surface suggests a greater possibility of benignity.

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Written by Zhang Peng

General Surgery

32sec

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Is the survival rate for rectal cancer high?

Rectal cancer is primarily a malignant tumor, and there are individual differences in treatment, even differing biological behaviors. Some people discover it early, while others find it later, sometimes even with multiple metastases. If it is diagnosed in a later stage, naturally, the patient's survival period is shorter. Surgical treatment of rectal cancer is one aspect, and subsequent measures to possibly extend the patient's survival include radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, etc.