Know The Symptoms Of Colorectal Cancer

Before they start coming up with symptoms, colon cancer or colorectal cancer does not show up for years. You would not even know if you have it or not. Thus, it is wiser to know what to look for before the symptoms even start bothering you. Of course, regular screening is recommended, but if you have any of these symptoms lasting more than a week, please ask your doctor for a colon cancer / colorectal cancer screening:

1. Look for any change in your bowel habit. For example, if there is a tumor which is gradually growing in your colon and restricting the flow of solid waste, you will notice that you are lacking the urge to go for bowel clearance. On the other hand, if the tumor is large enough to block stool evacuation, you will become constipated.

2. Notice if your stool is getting thinner. When there is a tumor in the exit channel, there is hardly any space for the stool to come out, so it squeezes its way out to get around the obstruction. Thus it takes the shape of a narrowed stool.

3. Notice if you have a bloated feeling or feel abdominal cramps. While constipation or diarrhea can cause cramping, bloating could be a result of a possible bowel obstruction. Colo-rectal cancer, in its advanced stage causes severe cramps, which are due to the tumor piercing through the colonic wall.

4. Is there any blood or a bloody streak in your stool ? Tumors usually bleed. They do not bleed a lot and frequently enough, but they do bleed. If the tumor is on the right colon, chances are that you will not notice them, but if it is growing on the left colon, then you can see fresh blood, which is bright red in color.

5. Are you losing substantial weight everyday for no rhyme or reason? Though it sounds a good idea to lose weight, without having to work for it, but losing weight for unexplained reason, is a sign of a disorder somewhere in the body. In the case of colo-rectal cancer, sudden and unexplained loss of body weight signifies that a tumor is obstructing the bowel somewhere.

6. Despite having adequate sleep, do you feel tired all the time? Anemia could be one reason - where your red blood cells are not carrying enough oxygen to the cells. Anemia is caused by poor iron-content in the diet. Tumors could also cause anemia and anemic symptoms.

7. After defecation, do you feel a kind of incomplete sensation - as if there is more to be expelled, which refuses to come out ? When there is a tumor growth at the end of the rectum or colon, this sense of incomplete evacuation grips the patient.

8. A feeling of nausea or vomiting, when you least expect it? A bowel-obstructing tumor normally results in nausea and vomiting sensation.

9. A lot of gas ? Belching ? Think it could be excess soda? When the colon is obstructed by a tumor, it results in a lot of gas formation.

10. An iron-deficiency anemia is a very natural result of a tumor on the right side of the colon (farthest away from the rectum). It stops red cells from carrying adequate oxygen to the cells. The right colon is ideal for tumor growth is because it is more spacious and gives place for the tumor to grow and bleed. The bleeding is invisible for many months and even years.

So, now you know that a colon cancer or a colorectal cancer can escape notice for years without causing any symptoms. Thus the best option is to go for regular screening if you are over 50 and have a past or family history of colon cancer or colorectal cancer.