Symptoms of Colon Cancer

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Colon cancer is an asymptomatic disease of colon and rectum having tendency to spread to other parts of body due to its malignant nature. More than 0.05 million people die annually because of colon cancer. It is the second most common cause of death in United States.

Patients having red meat, saturated animal fat, low intake of fruits, vegetables, calcium and folic acid are prone to have cancer of colon. Also in the persons having excessive smoking drinking habits and persons using aspirin daily, pneumonia can occur frequently.

The disease is having non-specific symptoms characterized by abnormal pattern of stools. Colon cancer is seen in patients above 40 years of age; persons have chronic constipation, chronic diarrhea, and hemorrhoids. There is blood is stools seen at the third and fourth stage of cancer symptoms of cancer of colon varies on the basis of location of carcinoma.

If the cancer is present in the right side of colon it is presented with anemia, altered bowel habits, occult bleeding. The blood oozes out into the colon and ultimately blocks the colon causing obstruction. This is associated, fistula formation in between the urinary bladder and colon in males and vagina and colon in females. Pus can accumulate locally at the site of cancer. Many patients will present with pain in the lower abdomen.

Intestinal obstruction can arise due to the increased size of abnormal mass of cells formed in the colon. This will cause abdominal discomfort, pain, bleeding and eventually perforation occurs causing active hemorrhage, anemia, pallor, sinking of strength and death finally.

If the cancer is present on the left side of colon then the obstruction will appear earlier and fresh blood will be seen in the stools. There is mucous discharge and weight loss is accompanied with the other symptoms as a result of inappropriate assimilation. On examining the abdomen, there will be palpable mass which can be felt by the patient himself too as this is the area where most abdominal discomfort is felt. Barium enema, X-ray and colonoscopy will reveal the abnormal mass of cancer cells in the colon. Patient will have iron deficiency anemia on account of blood loss from colon. There is pain, sensation of heaviness and tenesmus.

{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

Rebecca Murphy May 20, 2010 at 3:48 am

my uncle got stomach ulcers because he took a lot of Aspirin to take care of his high blood pressure.~*.

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