Understand the examination related to rectal cancer

Rectal cancer is a common malignant tumor in the gastrointestinal tract, ranking third in the global cancer rankings, with an incidence rate second only to gastric cancer and esophageal cancer. Due to the hidden nature of rectal cancer, the symptoms of early rectal cancer patients are extremely subtle. Clinically, rectal cancer patients who show obvious symptoms are mostly in the middle and late stages. In order to reduce the incidence of rectal cancer, should we understand the examinations that need to be done for rectal cancer:

1. Rectal examination : It is a necessary step in diagnosing rectal cancer. About 70%-79% of rectal cancer patients can be found through rectal examination. A hard, uneven mass can be palpated; in the late stage, a narrow mass in the intestinal cavity can be palpated. The fixed finger cuff can see dirty pus and blood containing feces.

2. Rectoscopy : The size, shape and location of the tumor can be observed and tissue can be directly taken for pathological examination.

3. Pathological examination : It is the main basis for the diagnosis of rectal cancer. Since rectal cancer surgery often involves diversion, which affects the patient's quality of life, in order to avoid misdiagnosis and mistreatment, the results of pathological examination must be obtained before or during surgery to guide treatment. Never remove the anus easily.

4. Carcinoembryonic antigen determination : Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) determination has been widely carried out and is generally considered to be valuable for evaluating treatment effects and prognosis. Continuous determination of serum CEA can be used to observe the effects of surgery or chemotherapy. A significant decrease in CEA after surgery or chemotherapy indicates a good treatment effect. If the surgery is not thorough or chemotherapy is ineffective, serum CEA often remains at a high level. If CEA drops to normal after surgery and then rises again, it often indicates tumor recurrence.

5. Barium enema contrast imaging : It helps to understand and exclude multiple cancer foci in the large intestine. The imaging manifestations of rectal cancer are as follows: ① Nodular filling defects, mostly on the inner wall of the rectum, round and smooth or slightly lobed, with local intestinal wall stiffness and concave. ② Cauliflower-shaped masses, larger, uneven surface, obvious lobes, wide base, and stiff intestinal wall. ③ Irregular annular stenosis, stiff wall, interrupted mucosa, and sharp boundaries. ④ Irregular intracavitary niches, triangular, long strip, etc., shallow, with uneven surrounding ring embankments. ⑤ Complete intestinal obstruction, or signs of intussusception, the proximal segment of the obstruction is sometimes difficult to display. It should be noted that X-ray examinations of barium enema sometimes cannot show rectal lesions, which can easily give people the illusion that there are no lesions.

6. Ultrasound examination : In cases where rectal tumors are found, further intrarectal ultrasound can be performed. This is a non-invasive examination developed in recent years. Its advantage is that it can determine the depth and range of rectal cancer invasion, and it is also valuable in determining whether there is lymph node metastasis. Liver ultrasound is particularly important to prevent missed diagnosis of rectal cancer liver metastasis.

The above is the examination that needs to be done for rectal cancer. If you have symptoms of disease, do not delay diagnosis and go to a regular hospital for treatment in time to avoid delaying the disease and causing serious consequences. If you have other questions, please consult our online experts for detailed answers.

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