Is dry, pellet-like stool a symptom of colon cancer?

Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 12, 2024
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Dry, granular stools are not necessarily symptoms of colon cancer, but patients with colon cancer may also experience dry, granular stools. Therefore, after exhibiting the above symptoms, patients need to promptly complete an electronic colonoscopy to confirm the diagnosis of the disease. For example, if the symptoms are due to colon cancer, aggressive surgical treatment should be taken, followed by comprehensive treatment including radiotherapy and chemotherapy. If the symptoms are due to functional indigestion causing constipation, treatment should involve using medications to regulate the intestinal flora and relieve constipation.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
36sec home-news-image

Is dry, pellet-like stool a symptom of colon cancer?

Dry, granular stools are not necessarily symptoms of colon cancer, but patients with colon cancer may also experience dry, granular stools. Therefore, after exhibiting the above symptoms, patients need to promptly complete an electronic colonoscopy to confirm the diagnosis of the disease. For example, if the symptoms are due to colon cancer, aggressive surgical treatment should be taken, followed by comprehensive treatment including radiotherapy and chemotherapy. If the symptoms are due to functional indigestion causing constipation, treatment should involve using medications to regulate the intestinal flora and relieve constipation.

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Written by Sun Wei
Surgical Oncology
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What should not be eaten with transverse colon cancer?

Transverse colon cancer is a type of colon cancer. Generally speaking, in terms of diet, one should not eat spicy, stimulating, or hard-to-digest foods, such as overly spicy food, hot pot, smoked, grilled, or pickled foods. It is best to avoid these, as well as alcohol and tobacco. Because transverse colon cancer can lead to intestinal blockage as the tumor grows, consuming spicy, stimulating, or indigestible foods, or overeating and causing indigestion, can lead to intestinal obstruction. This is a relatively high risk, and typically, once transverse colon cancer is diagnosed, consideration should begin for primarily curative surgery.

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Written by Quan Xiang Mei
Pediatrics
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Can baby's stool with blood be colon cancer?

Blood in the stool of babies is different from that in adults. In infants and young children, due to weaker gastrointestinal digestive functions, inappropriate feeding, changes in diet structure, or abnormal gastrointestinal functions can all lead to the presence of blood in the stool, which is usually not due to colon cancer. Therefore, if a child has persistent blood in their stool accompanied by either no weight gain or weight loss, or other abnormal symptoms, and if there is a suspicion of cancer-related factors, parents should promptly take the child to a hospital for a thorough examination. In most cases, blood in a baby's stool is commonly due to poor digestion of the gastrointestinal tract or from gastroenteritis caused by viruses or bacteria due to an increase in the frequency of bowel movements, or it could be due to severe constipation in the baby, where factors like anal fissures might also lead to blood in the stool.

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Written by Sun Wei
Surgical Oncology
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Can advanced colorectal cancer be cured?

Complete cure is often difficult to achieve in the middle and late stages of colorectal cancer. Of course, it is possible to control the progression of the lesion and then prolong survival. For middle and late-stage colorectal cancer, if the treatment is reasonable or effective, it is possible to survive for more than three years, five years, or even longer. Clinically, surviving more than five years without recurrence is considered a clinical cure. Of course, there is still a possibility of recurrence after five years, but the probability of recurrence will be much lower. If one can survive more than ten years, or even 20 years without recurrence, it is basically considered a cure, but regular check-ups are still necessary afterward, as it cannot be guaranteed that there will be no recurrence. For the middle and late stages of colorectal cancer, surgical treatment should be pursued whenever possible, followed by a combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy after surgery.

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Written by Sun Wei
Surgical Oncology
47sec home-news-image

How long can one live after colon cancer surgery?

If colon cancer can be treated surgically, generally, the outcomes might be quite good. It often applies to cancer in relatively early stages, with potentials to survive for over three years, five years, or even longer. Of course, there are cases of colon cancer that are discovered in later stages, where complete surgical removal is not possible, and only palliative stoma surgery can be performed. In such situations, the survival time might be within three to five years, but the exact life expectancy cannot be fully determined. Each individual's condition is different, and treatment must be adapted accordingly. Typically after surgery, treatments like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted therapy might be used in combination to prolong survival.