Colon cancer symptoms – how do you recognize them?

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Colorectal cancer is one of the three most common cancers in the world. Many patients take years to develop without any significant symptoms. We often mistake diarrhea and flatulence for food poisoning, and the cancer grows silently. So how do you know if your gut is not in good condition and is developing cancer?

The causes of colon cancer

Colorectal cancer usually develops after the age of 60 and there is a tendency towards the disease more often among men than among women.

Factors that most often lead to colorectal cancer:

1. family – inheritance of colorectal cancer from family members,
2. age (usually after the age of 60)
3. presence of polyps in the large intestine,
4. inflammation of the large intestine (ulcerative),
5. Crohn’s disease,
6. smoking,
7. eating a lot of meat and fats and too little fiber,
8. obesity,
9. Patients who have been treated for colorectal cancer in the past are at risk of developing another illness.

Symptoms of colon cancer

Colorectal cancer is caused by the uncontrolled growth of cancer cells in a specific part of the large intestine. It can develop anywhere, but is found in more than 70 percent of the caecum, rectum and descending colon. In this area, any changes can be felt by digital rectal examination.

The most common symptoms of colon cancer are:

1. blood on stools or occult bleeding into the lumen of the large intestine leading to anemia,
2. feeling of incomplete bowel movements,
3. changing the nature of bowel movements, from constipation to diarrhea and vice versa,
4. pencil-like stools
5. nausea,
6. persistent diarrhea,
7. palpable tumor in the abdomen,
8. repeated rectal bleeding
9. severe pain in the abdomen, with gas and stool retention, indicating obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract,
10. strong abdominal cramps,
11. pressure on the stool and inability to pass it,
12. weight loss, weakness and lack of appetite – symptoms occurring in the advanced stages of the disease.

Colorectal cancer – diagnosis

The diagnosis of colorectal cancer is performed by a number of tests that are decided by a doctor. The following methods are used to diagnose this type of cancer:

1. rectal examination – per rectum – is the basic diagnostic method that detects the sources of bleeding and nodules in one third of patients,
2. colonoscopy – the entire section of the large intestine is examined using an endoscope, which gives an accurate picture of neoplastic changes. This examination allows you to take a specimen for histopathological examination,
3. virtual colonoscopy – into the lumen of the large intestine, it is administered through the rectum to the air, and then computed tomography is performed. The examination gives a three-dimensional image of the large intestine,
4. contrast infusion – the large intestine is filled with a contrast agent and air, then x-rays are taken,
5. rectoscopy – examination of the rectum with the use of a speculum optical apparatus,
6. stool occult blood test – a test for finding blood invisible to the naked eye,
7. CEA antigen test in the blood – determination of colorectal cancer markers from the blood.

Home fecal occult blood test – FOB TEST now. You can find it at an affordable price on Medonet Market as a standalone test or in a home test kit for stomach problems.

Colorectal cancer – treatment

The most popular and accurate method of treating colorectal cancer is surgery. The procedure depends on many factors. Including on the stage of the disease, on the size of the lesion and its location. Small polyps are removed endoscopically and laparoscopically. In larger lesions, it is necessary to perform traditional surgery under general anesthesia. In many cases, a portion of the large intestine is removed along with the cancer. An important element of the treatment of a patient with colorectal cancer is the implementation of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

During the treatment of intestinal cancer and after its completion, use OncoLife Defense Bioactive Complex – Doctor Life dietary supplement. The active ingredients of the preparation support the immune system and help fight the disease.

Colon cancer – prevention

If there are or have been cases of colorectal cancer in the family, systematic examinations are recommended. As the risk of disease increases at a certain age, check-ups should be performed after the age of 50. Regular checkups can help detect cancer at an early stage, which increases the patient’s chances of a cure. In other cases, in addition to regular examinations, we should take care of the good condition of our intestines through a proper diet, rich in fruit and vegetables, limiting alcohol consumption and regular physical activity.

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