What are the symptoms of advanced rectal cancer

Rectal cancer is a common malignant tumor in the gastrointestinal tract and a type of colorectal cancer. In the early stage, when the frequency of bowel movements increases and there is mucus and blood in the stool, it is easy to be misdiagnosed as dysentery, enteritis, etc. In the middle and late stages of rectal cancer, the symptoms may be confused with hemorrhoids, which may lead to misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis, leading to further development of the disease and more prominent bloody stool symptoms. Almost every stool has mucus and blood on the surface. Once such symptoms occur, you must seize the best treatment opportunity and seek medical attention in time.

In the late stage, rectal cancer often invades surrounding tissues and organs, such as the bladder and prostate, causing frequent urination, urgency and difficulty urinating, invading the presacral nerve plexus, and causing sacral and lumbar pain. Rectal cancer can also metastasize to the liver, causing hepatomegaly, ascites, jaundice, and even cachexia.

In addition to the common systemic symptoms such as loss of appetite, weight loss, anemia, and other systemic symptoms, other local symptoms may also be seen, as follows:

1. A lump may be felt during digital rectal examination. Patients with advanced rectal cancer may have increased bowel movements, incomplete bowel movements, frequent urge to defecate, tenesmus, and other local irritation symptoms of the cancer.

2. Due to the enlargement of the tumor in the late stage of rectal cancer, the intestinal cavity narrows and intestinal obstruction occurs. When the intestinal cavity is completely blocked, symptoms of intestinal obstruction such as constipation, abdominal distension, and abdominal pain appear.

3. When the advanced cancer further expands, it will invade the surrounding tissues and organs, causing the patient to have difficulty urinating, frequent urination, and painful urination. When the cancer invades the presacral nerve plexus, there will be pain in the sacrum and waist; when it metastasizes to the liver, it will cause hepatomegaly, ascites, jaundice, and even cachexia.

4. Another typical symptom of advanced rectal cancer is increased intestinal secretions, which is caused by irritation of the intestinal mucosa. A small amount of mucus secretions will be discharged with the stool, and there will be strips of mucus on the surface of the stool. As the tumor continues to develop, the irritation to the rectal mucosa will be greater, and the patient will feel mild discomfort in the rectum, or often have a sense of emptiness. In the late stage of rectal cancer, when the surface of the tumor ulcerates, the stool will be thinner and may be watery and mixed with mucus and blood.

The above are the common late-stage symptoms of rectal cancer. Experts remind everyone that when the above symptoms appear in the body, it means that the colorectal cancer has entered the late stage. At this time, patients and their families should hurry up and ask doctors to develop a treatment plan suitable for them, and maintain a good attitude and build confidence in fighting cancer. Only in this way can the patient's survival period be extended and the quality of life be improved. If you have other questions, you can consult our online experts. I wish you health and happiness!

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