Colon Cancer Symptoms?
I have a friend who has some possible symptoms of colon cancer. He is 22, and says when he goes to the bathroom, he bleeds a lot from his anus. He went to the doctor and they said it looked to be an internal hemorrhoid. His symptoms come and go, so my question is, if it is colon cancer, would the symptoms constantly be present? or do they come and go at different times?
Also, he said it gets worse when he eats spicy foods, and drinks alcohol.
Tagged with: alcohol • anus • colon cancer • different times • drinks • internal hemorrhoid • spicy foods • symptoms of colon cancer
Filed under: Hemorrhoid Questions
angie (68)
Colon Cancer Symptoms
Cancer of the colon and rectum can exhibit itself in several ways. If you have any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical help.
You may notice bleeding from your rectum or blood mixed with your stool.
People commonly attribute all rectal bleeding to hemorrhoids, thus preventing early diagnosis owing to lack of concern over "bleeding hemorrhoids."
Rectal bleeding may be hidden and chronic and may show up as an iron deficiency anemia.
It may be associated with fatigue and pale skin.
It usually, but not always, can be detected through a fecal occult (hidden) blood test, in which samples of stool are submitted to a lab for detection of blood.
If the tumor gets large enough, it may completely or partially block your colon. You may notice the following symptoms of bowel obstruction:
Abdominal distension: Your belly sticks out more than it did before without weight gain.
Abdominal pain: This is rare in colon cancer. One cause is tearing (perforation) of the bowel. Leaking of bowel contents into the pelvis can cause inflammation (peritonitis) and infection.
Unexplained, persistent nausea or vomiting
Unexplained weight loss
Change in frequency or character of stool (bowel movements)
Small-caliber (narrow) or ribbon-like stools
Sensation of incomplete evacuation after a bowel movement
Rectal pain: Pain rarely occurs with colon cancer and usually indicates a bulky tumor in the rectum that may invade surrounding tissue.
Studies suggest that the average duration of symptoms (from onset to diagnosis) is 14 weeks. There is no association between overall duration of symptoms and the stage of your tumor.
I’m not sure about cancer, but unless the Dr. was the person who suggested cancer I would not jump to that conclusion. The symptoms you described are also common in intestenal inflections as well as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, crohns and coltitis)
there is a simple test where your doc has you send in a sample of stool and it is tested for cancer….if your friend or you are concerned ask your doc to do this for your own peace of mind, i doubt your doc will refuse.
also, internal hemorrhoids are very common and they can bleed a lot, its a scary thing to see but is not life threatening nor an indication of cancer. it sounds like your friend does indeed have internal hemorrhoids, sometimes referred to as polyps and they are not dangerous in and of themselves. usually hemorrhoids will cause itching etc if located near on around the anus but if they are up further then you won’t have the same just the bleeding. again, have your friend go to the doc again and request (insist) on this colon cancer test, its easy, painless, takes about 2 weeks for the results and worth the money for the peace of mind alone….good luck…
I think maybe he has a ulcer? Internal hemorrhoids are common and bleed from time to time. If your doctor hadn’t found the hemorrhoid he would most likely done other tests. Does your friend have a family history of colon cancer, if so his doctor would have run other tests.
Age 22 is a bit young for colon cancer, and does sound more like a fissure or hemorrhoid problem. To be sure, he’d need to be scoped…flexible sigmoidoscopy.
Here are some sites for this topic. I wish you the best of luck!
cancer.about.com/od/coloncancer/p/colonsymptoms.htm
townnews.healthology.com/colon_cancer
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/colon-cancer/DS00035/DSECTION=2
cancercompass.com/colon-cancer-information/symptoms-and-detection.htm
no one seemed to really answer your question. symptoms of cancer depend on the duration in between. if he has bad symptoms one week, the next week has no symptoms and the week after they come back then no it’s most definitely not cancer. it doesn’t work like that. the symptoms are usually pretty gradual, are fairly constant and get worse over time. 22 is too young for colon cancer unless he’s a freak case. it’s NOT colon cancer.. period!
make sure you go to the docotr if it runs in your family but if you are over 50 yrs old you need that tests..i had it since i had bad cramps, but it was nothing
Get a sigmoidoscopy, and have the problem removed! Doctors can repair some hemorrhoids and remove polyps (and they SHOULD be removed, because they can turn cancerous). The sooner you (or your friend) have it checked out, the less of a big deal it can be.
The Fecal Occult Blood Test is NOT definitive for cancer. Mine came back negative, but the sigmoidoscopy revealed a cancerous polyp. (had surgery three weeks ago, hope that’s the end of it).
when in doubt-check. this is one of the kinds of cancers that can sometimes be caught and removed early. dont wait. my dad had it removed and he is doing fine. DID I MENTION DONT WAIT??
Good luck.
I work for a Gastroenterologist. Colon and intestinal doctor. 22 is not to early to have colon cancer. We have seen patients younger than that who were diagnosed with colon cancer. The doctor can do routine blood tests, to see how his CBC- complete blood count is. They can perform a colonoscopy a long tube that is inserted in through the rectum that goes though the colon to see if there is anything wrong. It could be a GI bleed, hemorrhoids, or IBS,crohns, several things. You wont know unless he goes to see a doctor. He shouldn’t wait, early detection is the key for successful treatments.
Here is a detailed answer hope you like it!
It is possible to have colon or rectal cancer without symptoms. Many patients are free of symptoms until their tumors are quite advanced.
Weight Loss and Changes in Bowel Movements
Weight loss and changes in bowel movements are general symptoms for colon cancer, but also occur in many other diseases.
Rectal Bleeding
Blood in the stools is a common sign of many intestinal cancers. It may appear red if it is fresh or black if it is old. It should be reported to a physician immediately, even though it is often caused by conditions other than cancer, including the following:
Hemorrhoids.
Minor tears around the rectal or anal areas.
Diverticulosis.
Stools can turn red after eating certain red foods, such as beets or red licorice.
Iron supplements and medications that have bismuth subsalicylate, most commonly Pepto-Bismol, can cause stools to turn black.
Nevertheless, blood in the stools is an abnormal finding that should never be ignored. Always report it to your doctor for further advice.
Symptoms of Cancers in Specific Areas of the Colon
Symptoms of colorectal cancer vary widely depending on the location of the cancer within the large intestine.
Tumors in the Cecum and Ascending Colon (Right Colon). The waste matter in the first portion of the colon is in liquid or semi-liquid form. Tumors that develop here do not change bowel habits or stool formation, but they may cause intermittent or chronic bleeding. Although the stools look normal, patients may develop symptoms of anemia from iron deficiency. Such symptoms include weakness, fatigue, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and exercise intolerance.
Tumors in the Transverse Colon. As waste material passes across the upper quadrants of the abdomen (the transverse colon), the intestine absorbs water, and the waste matter becomes more solid. In addition to bleeding, tumors here may cause cramps, gas, partial or complete obstruction, and even perforation of the bowel. Anemia as described above can also occur.
Tumors in the Descending Colon and Rectum (Left Colon). When tumors partially block the lower intestine, thin, pencil-shaped stools may form. Bowel habits can change. Tumors in the rectum and lowest part of the intestine can cause pain and a feeling of fullness. Defecation may be painful or patients may feel the urge to defecate, but nothing happens. Bleeding from these locations may be brisk and bright red or maroon, but cancer is often detected before symptoms of chronic anemia develop.