What are the main clinical manifestations of patients with rectal cancer

The early symptoms of rectal cancer are non-specific or asymptomatic, so it is easy to misdiagnose.

1. Early symptoms include changes in bowel habits and blood in the stool. The blood is fresh blood and the amount is small, which is often confused with stool. There is a feeling of incomplete defecation and an increase in the frequency of bowel movements, but the stool characteristics are normal or there is no obvious change.

2. When the tumor develops to the middle stage, in addition to the aggravation of the above symptoms, there may also be changes in stool characteristics, thinning and deformation of stool, constipation or alternating symptoms of diarrhea and constipation, difficulty in defecation, often accompanied by abdominal symptoms, lower abdominal distension and discomfort and other symptoms of chronic intestinal obstruction.

3. When the tumor develops to the late stage, local symptoms, abdominal symptoms and systemic symptoms may appear.

(1) Local symptoms: In addition to the onset and aggravation of mid-term symptoms, if the tumor infiltrates forward and penetrates the intestinal wall to the prostate and bladder, symptoms such as frequent urination, painful urination, urgent urination, hematuria, dysuria, and dribbling urine may occur; if the tumor invades the lower urethra, symptoms of urethral obstruction may occur; if a rectovesical fistula is formed, gas or feces may appear in the urine; if the tumor penetrates the intestinal wall and infiltrates the vagina, vaginal discharge may increase. If a rectovaginal fistula occurs, bloody and feces may appear in the vagina. If the tumor infiltrates the posterior wall, penetrates the intestinal wall, the presacral space, the pelvic wall, the sacrum, and the sacral plexus, a feeling of heaviness and pain in the sacral and coccygeal region may occur. If the tumor infiltrates downward into the anal canal or perianal tissue, anal pain and anal lumps may occur; if the anal sphincter is affected, fecal incontinence may occur.

(2) The symptoms of chronic abdominal intestinal obstruction worsen, with abdominal pain and bloating, and even nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, fever and other symptoms of complete intestinal obstruction.

(3) Symptoms of metastatic tumors: Corresponding symptoms may occur after metastasis to the liver, lungs, bones, brain, etc. In addition, corresponding symptoms and signs may occur after metastasis to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes, cervical lymph nodes, inguinal lymph nodes, etc.

(4) Systemic symptoms: symptoms of cachexia such as emaciation, fatigue, anemia, low-grade fever, and weight loss.