What are the symptoms of advanced rectal cancer

The late symptoms of any malignant tumor are very obvious, and the same is true for rectal cancer. One thing we need to pay attention to is that rectal cancer is a disease that causes great damage to the patient's body, so it is best to prevent it in time. In addition, the incidence of rectal cancer is often closely related to the patient's lifestyle. So what are the late symptoms of rectal cancer? Regarding this issue, let's take a closer look at it.

1. The enlargement of the tumor can cause narrowing of the intestinal cavity and intestinal obstruction.

2. Rectal examination shows that a lump can be felt in most cases. In addition to the common systemic symptoms such as weight loss, loss of appetite, anemia, etc., patients with advanced rectal cancer also have local irritation symptoms of the cancer such as increased frequency of bowel movements, incomplete bowel movements, frequent urge to defecate, tenesmus, etc.

3. If the cancer invades the surrounding tissues and organs, symptoms such as dysuria, frequent urination, and painful urination may occur; if the malignant tumor invades the presacral nerve plexus, symptoms of sacral and lumbar pain may occur; when it metastasizes to the liver, it causes hepatomegaly, ascites, jaundice, and even cachexia. These are common late-stage symptoms of rectal cancer.

4. The intestinal mucosa is stimulated to secrete more, and a small amount of mucus is secreted and discharged with the stool. Sometimes constipation symptoms may also occur, but it is not caused by intestinal stenosis. As the tumor continues to develop, the stimulation to the rectal mucosa is greater, and the patient begins to feel mild discomfort in the rectum, or often has a sense of emptiness and defecation. At the same time, mucus secretion increases, and strips of mucus can often be seen on the surface of the stool. In the early stage of cancer ulceration, patients often have diarrhea, and the stool contains more mucus. When the surface of the tumor ulcerates, the stool becomes thinner and can be like water mixed with mucus and blood.

Rectal cancer will metastasize in the late stages, and the most common site of metastasis is the liver. Advanced rectal cancer is basically incurable and the survival rate is very low, so timely treatment is critical. In addition, to prevent this disease, it is important to pay attention to understanding the common causes of rectal cancer and try to avoid contact with these causes.