Colon Cancer Symptoms

Colon cancer symptoms generally do not appear until the disease becomes more advanced. At that point, surgery to remove part of the colon may be necessary. This makes it essential to get screened for colon cancer, especially for those over 50 years of age.

Diagnosing Colon Cancer
If you experience colon cancer symptoms do appear, it is a good idea to get yourself checked by a doctor. The symptoms of colon cancer mimic the symptoms of other bowel diseases, including hemorrhoids, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), infection of the bowel and Crohn's disease.

Your doctor will take a complete medical history if he doesn't already have one, and give you an extensive physical examination. Part of the examination consists of feeling the abdomen for enlarged organs and masses. He will also examine the rest of the body. The doctor performs a digital rectal exam, where a lubricated, gloved finger is inserted into the rectum to feel for abnormal areas.

If the doctor finds something suspicious, he may order blood tests for colorectal cancer. In the blood tests, the doctor will look for abnormalities in the complete blood count. This test shows whether you have anemia, which is a lack of red blood cells. Colon cancer can cause anemia in some people because of bleeding from the tumor. The doctor will also look at the blood test for liver function, to see if the cancer has spread to the liver.

Other tests to determine whether you have colorectal polyps or cancer include one or more of the following:

• Sigmoidoscopy (colonoscopy)
• Barium enema
• Double-contrast barium enema
• CT colonography

Colonoscopy is a common test for colon cancer that is typically performed while the patient is sedated. A small camera is inserted into the rectum and guided through the colon to look for polyps. If any polyps are found, the doctor can remove them to perform biopsies.

The signs of colon cancer (and other problems within the colon) are:

• A significant change in bowel habits (narrowing of the stool, diarrhea or constipation that lasts for more than two weeks)
• The feeling that you need to have a bowel movement, even after you had a bowel movement
• Rectal bleeding, blood in the stool or dark black stools
• Cramping
• Weakness and fatigue

If detected early, minor surgery and chemotherapy for colon cancer are usually enough to eliminate the tumors. Doctors today do everything they can to ensure the patient will have normal bowel function after treatment. Surgical removal of part of the colon is usually recommended only when the cancer is very advanced.