How to diagnose early colorectal cancer

The symptoms of colorectal cancer (i.e., large intestine cancer) are relatively hidden. In the early stages of the disease, or even in the late stages of the disease, patients may not have obvious local symptoms, so that many patients are already in the middle or late stages when diagnosed, and the treatment effect is greatly reduced. Therefore, intestinal health examinations are particularly important. Early colorectal cancer has no specific symptoms. How should early colorectal cancer be diagnosed?

1. Digital rectal examination

Doctors can judge anorectal diseases through the simplest and most direct palpation and observation. More than half of colorectal cancers occur in the rectum, and 80% of rectal cancers are in the middle and low positions. Rectal and anal digital examination can detect and make preliminary judgments on perianal diseases and colorectal cancer.

Fecal occult blood test

Fecal occult blood test is of great value in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding and is often used as a screening indicator for the early diagnosis of gastrointestinal malignancies.

However, in the case of gastrointestinal tumors, the test is often persistently positive and can therefore be used as a means of distinguishing benign from malignant bleeding.

Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy is the most effective means of detecting early colorectal cancer. Colonoscopy can not only clearly observe the intestines, but also clamp suspicious lesions for pathological examination under direct vision, which is conducive to the discovery and diagnosis of early and small colorectal cancer.

With the continuous development of science, the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer have made great progress. The biological characteristics of colorectal cancer and the genetic mechanisms involved in tumor formation have been better understood. Therefore, people can detect lesions earlier, establish a more complete staging system using molecular genetic monitoring, improve surgical techniques, and reduce postoperative mortality and recurrence rates.