Early symptoms of colon cancer

Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
Updated on August 31, 2024
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Colon cancer often does not have obvious symptoms in its early stages, and of course, the specific situation needs to be analyzed on a case-by-case basis, as it varies from person to person. As the disease progresses, some clinical symptoms may appear. The first one is changes in bowel habits and stool characteristics; there might be blood in the stool, changes such as an increased frequency of defecation, urgency followed by a feeling of incomplete evacuation, and a sensation of rectal fullness, along with possible changes in the shape or thinning of the stool. The second possible symptom is abdominal pain, which may also be accompanied by a feeling of bloating or abdominal discomfort. The third possibility is the symptoms of intestinal obstruction, which include cessation of bowel movements and passing gas. The fourth is that a mass may be felt in the abdomen. The fifth point is that some individuals, especially those in poor health, may experience symptoms of nutritional depletion from the tumor, such as anemia, weight loss, and fatigue. If there is early metastasis, symptoms corresponding to the metastasis may also appear.

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What are the symptoms of transverse colon cancer?

Transverse colon cancer is a type of colon cancer, belonging to malignant tumors of the digestive system. The main symptoms may include rectal bleeding, narrower stools, increased frequency of defecation, diarrhea, and it may also cause constipation. For instance, if the tumor in the transverse colon is large enough to block the intestinal lumen, it could lead to difficulty in defecating. Constipation or even signs of intestinal obstruction could occur. Generally, a diagnosis can be confirmed through an endoscopic biopsy. After diagnosis, transverse colon cancer can be treated surgically, primarily through curative surgery, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and other comprehensive treatments.

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What are the symptoms of stool in colon cancer?

The stool of colon cancer generally appears as mucoid or purulent bloody stool, or there is alternation of diarrhea and constipation. The diagnosis of colon cancer mainly relies on electronic colonoscopy, and routine blood tests as well as carcinoembryonic antigen tests are also of certain reference value. Patients with colon cancer often present with symptoms like anemia and weight loss. Therefore, it is crucial for patients with colon cancer to obtain a definitive diagnosis as early as possible. In addition, early surgical treatment should be adopted. After surgery, adjunct treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy should also be administered.

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Early symptoms of colon cancer

Colon cancer often does not have obvious symptoms in its early stages, and of course, the specific situation needs to be analyzed on a case-by-case basis, as it varies from person to person. As the disease progresses, some clinical symptoms may appear. The first one is changes in bowel habits and stool characteristics; there might be blood in the stool, changes such as an increased frequency of defecation, urgency followed by a feeling of incomplete evacuation, and a sensation of rectal fullness, along with possible changes in the shape or thinning of the stool. The second possible symptom is abdominal pain, which may also be accompanied by a feeling of bloating or abdominal discomfort. The third possibility is the symptoms of intestinal obstruction, which include cessation of bowel movements and passing gas. The fourth is that a mass may be felt in the abdomen. The fifth point is that some individuals, especially those in poor health, may experience symptoms of nutritional depletion from the tumor, such as anemia, weight loss, and fatigue. If there is early metastasis, symptoms corresponding to the metastasis may also appear.

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Is stage II-III colon cancer considered late stage?

Patients with stage II and III colon cancer are not yet considered to be in the classic advanced stages. Current oncology believes that colon cancer is categorized as stage IV and considered advanced when distant metastases occur. Common sites of metastasis for colon cancer include the liver, lungs, and bones. Stage II colon cancer patients do not have metastases to the pericolic lymph nodes, which is relatively early; stage III colon cancer patients have metastases to the pericolic lymph nodes, which is later than stage II, but as long as there are no distant metastases, it does not reach the advanced stage IV.

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Is stage II colon adenocarcinoma serious?

Colon adenocarcinoma grade II, here the grade II generally refers to moderately differentiated, which is more severe than well-differentiated but relatively less severe than poorly differentiated or undifferentiated. However, the main criteria for assessing the severity of colon adenocarcinoma are not the degree of differentiation, but the depth of invasion, whether there is metastasis to nearby lymph nodes, and whether there is metastasis to distant organs. Based on the different situations mentioned above, different treatment methods should also be adopted. For patients with stage I colon cancer, surgical resection alone is sufficient. For patients with stage II and III colon cancer, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy is needed in addition to surgical resection. For stage IV patients, systemic treatment is primarily conducted.