Symptoms of colon cancer at different stages

The symptoms of colon cancer are different at different stages. We need to understand how the symptoms change before we can diagnose and treat them accordingly.

1. Early first symptoms

In the earliest stages of colon cancer, patients generally experience discomfort such as abdominal distension and indigestion, followed by changes in bowel habits, such as increased frequency, diarrhea or constipation. Some patients also develop mucus in the stool or mucopurulent blood in the stool after abdominal pain.

Second, the symptoms of mid-term poisoning

When the tumor ulcerates and loses too much blood, the toxins in the tumor can be absorbed by the body, and the patient will experience symptoms such as anemia, low fever, fatigue, weight loss, and edema, especially anemia and weight loss.

3. Symptoms of mid-stage intestinal obstruction

Intestinal obstruction is a common complication of colon cancer in clinical practice, mainly with symptoms of low intestinal obstruction, such as abdominal distension, abdominal pain, constipation, etc. Physical examination can reveal a bulging abdomen, intestinal type, tenderness at the obstruction site, and audible hyperactive bowel sounds.

4. Late abdominal mass

When colon cancer develops to the late stage, a large mass will appear in the abdomen. It is mainly a mass formed by the infiltration and adhesion of the tumor or surrounding tissues. It is hard to touch and is mostly irregular. Sometimes it can move with the peristalsis of the intestine. In the late stage, the tumor infiltration is more serious and the mass may also be fixed.

5. Other manifestations in late stage

Generally, the presence of ascites indicates that colon cancer has developed to the late stage. Jaundice and edema also appear, which are manifestations of liver metastasis. At the same time, cachexia, a mass in the anterior rectal fossa, enlarged supraclavicular lymph nodes and other signs of distant spread and metastasis of the tumor may also appear.