What are the symptoms of stool in colon cancer?

Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 03, 2024
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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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What should be done after the complete removal of colon cancer?

After surgical removal of colon cancer, the postoperative treatment strategy should be determined based on the precise staging of the cancer according to the surgical pathology. If the colon cancer has invaded the mucosal layer and the submucosal layer, or the muscular layer, it is staged as stage I; postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy is not required, and regular follow-up is sufficient. If the colon cancer reaches stage II or III, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy is needed to reduce the risk of postoperative recurrence and metastasis. Stage IV colon cancer does not fall under the aforementioned conditions of clean removal of the cancer.

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Differentiation between Colon Polyps and Colon Cancer

The most distinct diagnostic criteria between colon polyps and colon cancer are that colon polyps are benign lesions, whereas colon cancer is a malignant tumor of the intestines. Colon polyps are generally small in size or present as multiple polyps, with localized mucosal elevation. They may appear the size of mung beans or be pedunculated, and may be accompanied by mild abdominal pain, generally without blood in the stool. In contrast, during the onset of colon cancer, there is usually abdominal pain accompanied by bloody stools. In the later or advanced stages of colon cancer, after the tumor ruptures, it may also lead to severe gastrointestinal bleeding, as well as overall bodily wasting and anemia. The prognosis for colon polyps is relatively good; regular follow-up checks are sufficient. However, for colon cancer, if detected early, surgical removal can be an option. The survival rate in the middle and late stages is lower than in the early stage, and treatment may require a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

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Colorectal Cancer CT Manifestations and Differential Diagnosis

Early-stage colon cancer is difficult to clearly detect on a CT scan. In the moderate to late stages, colon cancer has more typical manifestations on CT, mainly characterized by thickening of the colon wall, irregular narrowing of the intestinal lumen, and stiffness of the intestinal wall. After enhancement, significant enhancement can be observed. The pericolonic fat space may appear blurred, and in the late stages, small lymph nodes can be seen, and even distant metastasis, most commonly to the liver, can be detected. It is necessary to differentiate colon cancer from colonic inflammation. Inflammatory lesions are usually more widespread and have typical clinical features such as fever and abdominal pain. It is also necessary to differentiate from lymphoma, as lymphomas also cause narrowing of the intestinal lumen but the narrowing is not eccentric and the intestinal wall remains soft, generally not leading to obstruction, whereas in late-stage colon cancer, colonic obstruction can be observed.

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Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
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Is colon cancer invading the submucosa early stage?

The lesion of colon cancer has invaded the submucosa, which could be either early stage or advanced stage, as the staging of colon cancer is determined by three factors. First is the primary lesion of the colon cancer itself, second is the regional lymph node metastasis, and third is distant metastasis. The invasion of the submucosa in colon cancer is just indicative of the status of the primary lesion; we also need to consider the regional lymph nodes and distant metastasis to determine the stage. If the lesion has invaded the submucosa without regional lymph node metastasis and no distant metastasis, then its clinical stage is early. If the lesion of colon cancer has not only invaded the submucosa but also has regional lymph node metastasis or has metastasized to distant organs, then the condition would be considered as advanced stage.

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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.