Bowel cancer symptoms include changes in stool composition, nausea, vomiting, bloating, cramping, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, dark or bloody stools, weight loss, fatigue, weakness, anemia, shortness of breath, and jaundice. Diagnosis involves thorough testing, including blood tests, medical imaging, endoscopic procedures, and biopsy. Treatment typically involves surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Patients should be informed about all treatment options and their potential risks and benefits.
Symptoms of bowel cancer vary depending on the type and location of the cancer. Gastroenterological symptoms such as changes in stool composition are extremely common and patients may also feel generally unwell, particularly if a tumor is particularly large. Bowel cancers sometimes persist for months or years before being diagnosed, as symptoms can be delayed and patients are sometimes unaware that there is a problem. Treatment for tumors in the intestinal tract usually involves surgery to remove the growth, along with chemotherapy and radiation to kill the malignant cells.
Nausea, vomiting, bloating, cramping, and abdominal pain are all potential symptoms of bowel cancer. Patients may experience constipation if a tumor blocks the intestines and may also develop diarrhea. Stools may become dark due to blood in the stool, and some patients have bright red bloody stools. People may also notice a narrowing of the stool, caused by constriction in the intestines.
Loss of appetite and weight loss are also symptoms of bowel cancer. Fatigue, weakness, anemia and shortness of breath can also be seen in some patients with intestinal tumors, and they can also experience symptoms such as jaundice, yellowing of the skin and eyes caused by a malfunction of the liver. Patients may also feel a feeling of pressure or heaviness in the abdomen caused by the growing tumor. If bowel cancer metastasizes, it can cause further symptoms as malignant growths appear in other parts of the body.
Symptoms associated with bowel cancer can be caused by many other medical problems, including conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. Because the symptoms are highly generalized, when patients seek doctors for treatment, they should expect thorough diagnostic testing. This can include blood tests, medical imaging studies of the abdomen, endoscopic procedures to look inside the intestines, and even exploratory surgery. These diagnostic tools are used to gather as much information about a patient’s condition as possible.
When intestinal cancer is diagnosed, a biopsy sample will be examined to determine the type of cancer and the stage. This information will be used in developing an appropriate treatment plan for the patient. Patients may wish to ask about the risks and benefits of all available treatments so they can make an informed choice about which course of treatment to pursue. Some treatments may be provided together, while others may be mutually exclusive, and patients should know how their treatment decisions will affect future treatment options.
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