Bowel cancer: 8 main symptoms

The main symptoms of bowel cancer, such as frequent diarrhea, blood in the stool or pain in the belly, can be difficult to identify because they are signs that can also occur due to common problems, such as intestinal infection or hemorrhoids.

In addition, the signs vary according to the location of the tumor and the severity of the disease, it is recommended to seek medical attention when symptoms persist for more than 1 month.

Colorectal Cancer Symptoms

The cancer that most affects the intestine is colorectal, which affects the last part of the large intestine. The following are the main symptoms of this type of cancer. If you want to know your chances of having this disease, check your symptoms:

1. 1. Constant diarrhea or constipation? Yes No
2. 2. Dark or bloody stools? Yes No
3. 3. Gases and abdominal cramps? Yes No
4. 4. Blood in the anus or visible on toilet paper when cleaning? Yes No
5. 5. Feeling of heaviness or pain in the anal area, even after evacuating? Yes No
6. 6. Frequent tiredness? Yes No
7. 7. Blood tests for anemia? Yes No
8. 8. Weight loss for no apparent reason? Yes No

Symptoms of cancer in the small intestine

However, bowel cancer can also appear in the first part of the intestine, known as the small intestine, causing less specific symptoms such as pain in the abdomen, general tiredness, anemia and weight loss, which is not easy to identify without complementary tests, such as computed tomography., requested by the gastroenterologist.

When to go to the doctor

In the presence of these symptoms for more than 1 month, it is important to see the doctor to do tests that identify the cause of the problem, especially in the case of people over 50.

In addition, the presence of some problems increases the risk of developing intestinal cancer, such as obesity, uncontrolled diabetes, low fiber diet, presence of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease, or when there is a history of polyps or cancer in the family.

See how treatment is done for bowel cancer.

Tests that confirm the presence of cancer

In case of suspected cancer, the tests most used to confirm the diagnosis are:

• Stool examination: helps to identify the presence of occult blood or bacteria responsible for altering intestinal transit; Colonoscopy: is used to assess the walls of the intestine when there are symptoms or presence of occult blood in the stool; Computed tomography: used when colonoscopy is not possible, as in the case of coagulation changes or breathing difficulties, for example.

Watch the following video and learn how to collect feces correctly to proceed with the test:

Before doing these tests, the doctor may also ask for some changes in diet and lifestyle to confirm that the symptoms are not being produced by less serious situations such as food intolerances or Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

He knew more about the main tests used to detect bowel cancer.