How to diagnose colon cancer

(1) Fecal examination for colon cancer: Although the fecal occult blood test is not specific for the diagnosis of this disease, the method is simple and easy to perform. It can be used as a screening method and may provide clues for early diagnosis.

(2) Rectal examination: The lower segment is much more common in my country than in other countries, accounting for 77.5%, so most of them can be touched during rectal examination.

(3) Sigmoidoscopy: 77.7% of colorectal cancers in China occur in the rectum and sigmoid colon. The commonly used sigmoidoscope tube is 30 cm long and can directly detect tumors in the anal canal, rectum, and below the middle section of the sigmoid colon.

(4) Barium enema X-ray examination: Patients with lesions in the upper sigmoid colon or higher should undergo a barium enema X-ray examination. Conventional barium enema X-ray examinations are prone to miss small colorectal cancers. The use of air-barium double contrast can improve the accuracy of radiological diagnosis and show the location and extent of the cancer.

(5) Fiberoptic colonoscopy: It can clearly observe the entire colon and clamp suspicious lesions for pathological examination under direct vision. It is conducive to the discovery of early and small colon cancers and the diagnosis of cancer, further improving the diagnostic accuracy of the disease. It is the most important examination method for colorectal cancer.

(6) Serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) determination: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) can be detected in the serum of patients with colorectal cancer. This is a glycoprotein that often appears in the serum of patients with malignant tumors. It is not a specific antigen related to colorectal cancer, so serum CEA determination is not specific for the diagnosis of this disease. However, the use of radioimmunoassay to detect CEA and make quantitative dynamic observations is of certain significance in judging the surgical effect of colorectal cancer and monitoring postoperative recurrence. For example, after the colorectal cancer tumor is completely removed by surgery, serum CEA will gradually decrease; if it recurs, it may rise again.

(7) Other examinations: Rectal ultrasound can clearly show the range, size, depth and surrounding tissue of the rectal mass, and can distinguish the fine structure of each layer of the rectal wall. The examination method is simple and can quickly provide images, which is helpful for selecting surgical methods and postoperative follow-up. CT examination is important for understanding the degree of extraintestinal infiltration of the tumor and the presence of lymph node or liver metastasis, and is more accurate in diagnosing recurrence.

After reading the introduction in this article, you should know how to diagnose colon cancer. If you still have any questions about colon cancer, you can go to a regular hospital to consult an expert.