What are the early symptoms of rectal cancer?

Written by Cui Fang Bo
Oncology
Updated on December 08, 2024
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Early symptoms of rectal cancer include a foreign body sensation in the anus, bloody stools, changes in stool shape, and more. Rectal cancer is a prevalent malignant tumor of the digestive tract in China, originating from the rectal mucosa. The most common pathological type is adenocarcinoma, with other pathological types being relatively rare. Patients exhibiting bloody stools or changes in stool shape should consider the possibility of rectal cancer. Patients suspected of having rectal cancer should undergo a rectal examination and colonoscopy as soon as possible. Abnormal masses in the rectum can be detected during the rectal examination and colonoscopy. Tissue can be taken from the mass for pathological diagnosis. Patients diagnosed with rectal cancer via pathology are primarily treated with surgery, and those who cannot undergo surgery should receive combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment.

Other Voices

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What should I do if rectal cancer causes jet-like bleeding?

Rectal cancer patients often experience bleeding, which is a common clinical manifestation. When patients exhibit spurting bleeding, we can adopt the following treatment strategies: Firstly, patients should refrain from eating, as food stimulation can exacerbate the bleeding; Secondly, patients should be administered some medications for hemostasis. When the effect of medical hemostasis is insufficient, we can employ interventional methods, or vascular embolization techniques for hemostasis; Thirdly, when the patient's bleeding volume is large, blood transfusions should be given to improve the patient's anemia; If the patient experiences shock due to bleeding, in addition to blood transfusion treatment, it is also necessary to provide fluid supplementation to ensure the overall volume status of the patient; Fifthly, when the effect of medical hemostasis is poor, surgical intervention is required to carry out hemostasis.

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How to differentiate rectal cancer from hemorrhoids?

In clinical practice, rectal cancer can be differentiated from hemorrhoids in the following three aspects: First, the impact on the body is different between the two conditions. Rectal cancer has a significant impact on the body, with patients often experiencing symptoms such as general fatigue, fever, and weight loss. Hemorrhoids, on the other hand, have a minor impact on the body, with patients primarily experiencing local symptoms and rarely showing systemic symptoms. Second, there is a significant difference in the treatment methods. Treatment for rectal cancer includes surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. In contrast, treatment for hemorrhoids mainly involves local medication, and severe cases may consider local surgical treatment. Thirdly, the prognosis of the two conditions is very different. Patients with advanced rectal cancer have a poorer prognosis, and many have a short survival time. Hemorrhoids, however, do not affect the life span of the body.

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What medicine to take for diarrhea caused by rectal cancer?

Diarrhea is a common symptom of rectal cancer. For symptomatic treatment, we can take medications such as montmorillonite powder or loperamide to alleviate diarrhea, and use probiotics like Bifidobacterium triple or quadruple live bacteria to regulate intestinal flora. However, these treatments only alleviate symptoms rather than cure the underlying disease. The key is to control the rectal cancer itself. Treating the tumor is the fundamental solution. Only when the tumor is under control will the patient's diarrhea symptoms be relieved. Otherwise, even if the symptoms are alleviated by antidiarrheal drugs, if the tumor is not controlled, symptoms including diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and abdominal pain will recur and may even worsen.

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Can colorectal cancer be inherited?

Can rectal cancer be inherited? Rectal cancer is a relatively common type of malignant tumor in the rectum. Genetic factors are among the causes of rectal cancer, but they are not absolute. The proportion of genetic factors in the occurrence of rectal cancer is relatively small. Most causes are related to inhalative lesions of the rectum, and also linked to the patient's lifestyle, bowel habits, etc., which can lead to the occurrence of rectal cancer. So, there is a genetic component, but the likelihood is low. Therefore, for patients with familial hereditary diseases or families where multiple people have rectal cancer, it is important to conduct timely re-examinations with colonoscopies or to perform some genetic screening.

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Is rectal cancer hereditary?

This answer is also possible, as one of the causes of any cancer includes the possibility of genetics. However, this possibility is generally small and not everyone is likely to have it. It also depends on the incidence of disease within the entire family. If one is in a high-risk category due to certain genetic factors, then it is crucial to have regular and thorough follow-up checks. Some people might even try treatments specifically targeting genetically inherited colorectal cancer.