Bowel cancer: what it is and major symptoms
Bowel cancer, the best known of which are colon cancer and rectal cancer, is a type of tumor that develops in the intestine, being more common in a part of the large intestine, starting with the evolution of polyps, which are changes that may appear in the intestinal wall and that, if not eliminated , they can become evil.
- The main signs and symptoms of bowel cancer are frequent diarrhea.
- Blood in the stool.
- And stomach pain.
- However.
- These symptoms can be difficult to identify.
- As they can also occur due to common problems such as intestinal infection.
- Hemorrhoids.
- Fissures and food poisoning.
In addition, signs and symptoms may vary depending on the location of the tumor and the severity of the disease, so it is recommended to see the gastroenterologist or family doctor when symptoms persist for more than a month.
Symptoms of bowel cancer are more common in people over age 60 who have a family history of bowel cancer or who have chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, for example. Select the symptoms of the following test to find out if you are at risk for bowel cancer:
In addition to being more common in the elderly, with a family history or with chronic bowel disease, bowel cancer has an increased risk of developing in people who are overweight, non-physical activity, alcohol and smoking, or in people who eat a rich diet. in red or processed meat and low in fiber.
It is recommended to consult the gastroenterologist or family doctor when symptoms last more than a month, especially when the person is over 50 years old and has another risk factor. The risk of bowel cancer is higher and it is important to test for the change to be identified even in the early phase and treatment to be more effective. Understand how bowel cancer is treated.
To check that the person’s symptoms are bowel cancer, your doctor recommends certain diagnostic tests, the main ones being:
Before performing these tests, your doctor may also order changes in diet and lifestyle to confirm that symptoms are not caused by less serious situations such as food intolerances or irritable bowel syndrome. Learn more about the tests requested to diagnose bowel cancer.
Watch the video below and learn how to correctly collect your stool for testing: