Does frequent constipation easily lead to rectal cancer?

Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
Updated on May 12, 2025
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Constipation and colorectal cancer are two different diseases, but they are related. Frequent constipation can increase the risk of colorectal cancer because long-term constipation can lead to restricted toxin elimination from the body. Some of the foods we eat daily, including proteins, fats, and sugars, decompose in the intestine into substances like ammonia, benzene, and phenol, which have carcinogenic effects. Therefore, people who are frequently constipated may face an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Thus, to address frequent constipation, it is important to solve constipation issues. One's diet should be light, incorporating more fruits and vegetables, drinking more water, and exercising more, to resolve the issues of constipation.

Other Voices

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Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
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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 Yu Xu Chao
Colorectal Surgery
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Is chemotherapy effective for late-stage rectal cancer?

Late-stage rectal cancer is primarily due to the metastasis and proliferation of cancer cells. At this stage, surgery alone cannot completely eliminate cancer cells, so chemotherapy is necessary. Chemotherapy has certain effects clinically, especially in patients who are sensitive to chemotherapy drugs, where the effects are more pronounced. This can control the spread of cancer cells in multiple locations and can, to some extent, improve patient survival rates. For patients, it is important to maintain good health, enhance their immune system, consume foods rich in high-quality proteins, and engage in appropriate exercise. Moreover, maintaining a positive mindset is beneficial for extending life. Additionally, patients can integrate traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture as complementary therapies, which can also potentially improve postoperative survival rates.

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Written by Wang Hui Jie
Gastroenterology
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Hemorrhoids bleeding and rectal cancer differences

The difference between hemorrhoids bleeding and colorectal cancer, first of all, hemorrhoid bleeding is often bright red, and generally is not mixed with stool, such as blood on paper, blood droplets, and in severe cases, gushing bleeding which may cause symptoms of anemia, and it is not significantly related to stool, meaning it is not very mixed. However, sometimes, bleeding caused by irritating hemorrhoids during defecation might be slightly mixed, but generally, it is not. As for colorectal cancer, if bleeding occurs, it is often in the later stages and the blood is usually dark red or purple-red, generally not in large amounts, and it is often mixed with stool. You might also see mucus and pus. Therefore, if there is bleeding, we recommend promptly undergoing a colonoscopy to avoid missing a diagnosis of colorectal cancer.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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Is anal pain and rectal bleeding indicative of rectal cancer?

Pain in the anal area, accompanied by blood in the stool, does not necessarily indicate rectal cancer. There are many causes of pain and bloody stools, which require identification and diagnosis through the color of the bloody stools, digital rectal examination, and colonoscopy. Common causes of bright red bloody stools or pain are mainly due to hemorrhoids and anal fissures. During the onset of rectal cancer, early stages generally do not involve pain in the anal area. It is mainly characterized by changes in bowel habits, or dark red blood in the stool in the middle to late stages. The tumor may grow larger, causing difficulty in defecation, and may even induce systemic symptoms such as weight loss, anemia, and intestinal obstruction.

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Does stage II rectal cancer require chemotherapy?

Whether a stage II colorectal cancer patient needs adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery depends on the specific circumstances. For example, stage IIA patients are classified as T3, N0, M0. The necessity of adjuvant chemotherapy for these patients should be determined based on the pathological report. If the report indicates the presence of vascular invasion, neural invasion, poor differentiation, or if microsatellite stability testing shows poor prognostic factors, then such patients should undergo postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. If none of these conditions are present in a stage IIA patient, then postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy may not be necessary. Generally, stage IIB patients, whose tumors have penetrated the full thickness of the intestinal wall, are recommended to undergo postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. Therefore, the specific conditions of the patient need to be considered.