What are the symptoms of colon cancer?

Often times the first signs of colon cancer are completely imperceptible, but give a clear signal of a dangerous process in the body. The important thing is to pay attention to them from the very beginning, so that we can hope for successful treatment.

The insidious thing about cancer is that in most cases it starts with minor symptoms. Many Bulgarians, when they hear the diagnosis in the doctor’s office, remember many of them, but say that they did not pay attention to them, due to the dynamics of life. More than once, only after the terrible diagnosis has been made, a person “rewinds” about a year, a year and a half ago, and remembers that he had special signs that he did not give importance to.

One of the types of cancer that proceeds imperceptibly in the beginning is that of the colon, and in recent years more and more Bulgarians suffer from it.

One of the earliest symptoms that is usually overlooked is the change in physiological bowel movements in patients over 40 years of age. We may have more frequent urges to go to the bathroom, get unexplained constipation, or have an upset stomach. It is also possible for constipation to alternate with disorder, and even if this does not happen, we must be careful about a change in the consistency of the stool.

Another unpleasant symptom is the so-called flatulence or emission of gases, accompanied by necessity.
Not infrequently, patients feel dissatisfied with defecation, but at the same time they constantly have urges to go to the toilet.

Months before we know we have the disease, we may feel run down or experience fatigue easily – something we have not previously complained about. The way of eating also changes without reasons.

An undoubted sign of an advanced stage of the disease is when pathological bowel movements occur, when there is mucus and blood in the stool. This is often accompanied by abdominal bloating and complete inability to relieve. These are sure signals that we need medical help.

Many are those who in the early stages of the disease do not have any symptoms. When symptoms appear, they usually vary, depending on the size and location of the tumor in the colon. Sometimes the first symptom is a massive hemorrhage.

Hidden blood loss can cause iron deficiency anemia. This condition is more characteristic of right-sided carcinomas. When the tumor is in the region of the sigmoid colon, acute obstruction of the large intestine is observed, which doctors call obturation ileus.

Colon cancer should be suspected when there is a repeated increase in temperature.
Symptoms of rectal carcinoma are blood in the stool and rectal bleeding. The same signs of the disease appear in some cases of right-sided tumors. This means that it cannot be concluded that if there is no blood, there is no cancer.

A symptom of the dreaded disease can be frequent discomfort in the abdominal area, as well as cramps or pain. A feeling that our bowels have not emptied completely is also a sign, as well as unexplained weight loss.

When should we go to the doctor? If we notice any symptoms of colon cancer, such as blood in the stool or a permanent change in bowel habits, we should make an appointment with the doctor immediately. It is important to ask him when colon cancer screening should start.

According to the imposed practice, this is done at the age of 50, but if you have risk factors such as family burden, it can be earlier.