Five major symptoms of early colorectal cancer

Early stage colorectal cancer may involve five major symptoms such as abnormal bowel movements, blood in the stool, and abdominal pain. These signals suggest that you should seek medical attention as soon as possible to avoid worsening of the disease. In daily life, you should also pay attention to diet, exercise, and other cancer prevention and control measures.

1. Changes in bowel habits

Early colorectal cancer often manifests as an increase or decrease in the frequency of bowel movements, or alternating between stubborn constipation and diarrhea. This is because cancer affects intestinal peristalsis. If the bowel movement pattern changes for more than two weeks without reason, you need to go to the hospital for examination, such as colonoscopy or intestinal imaging examination.

2. Bloody or black stools

Early rectal cancer may cause blood in the stool, which may be bright red or dark red, especially when the cancer ruptures in the intestinal cavity. Chronic bleeding caused by cancer may manifest as black stool or symptoms of anemia due to chronic blood loss. When seeking medical attention, early signs of bleeding can be screened out through a stool occult blood test.

3. Abdominal pain or discomfort

Tumors growing in the intestines may cause obstruction or local inflammation, irritating the intestinal wall, which can manifest as abdominal pain, discomfort or bloating. This symptom can easily be mistaken for gastroenteritis or common intestinal problems, especially if it recurs repeatedly.

4Weight loss and fatigue

Cancer causes continuous consumption of the body, which may manifest in the early stages as unexplained weight loss and fatigue. If there is no significant change in diet or lifestyle habits recently, but the weight is dropping dramatically, a detailed examination should be conducted as soon as possible, such as blood tumor marker testing or imaging examinations.

5Anemia and other systemic symptoms

Long-term chronic blood loss may cause anemia, which is manifested by paleness, dizziness, and extreme fatigue, and in some patients, fever. These systemic symptoms suggest the need for a comprehensive health examination.

Paying attention to these signals can help detect colorectal cancer early and improve the cure rate. People should also focus on a high-fiber diet and stay away from high-fat and high-salted foods. They should also have regular physical examinations, especially those with a family history of cancer. High-risk people should undergo colonoscopy every year. When suspicious symptoms occur, it is particularly important to seek medical attention in a timely manner, which may be an important step in saving lives.