After skin cancer, colorectal cancer, or the silent killer, is the third most diagnosed cancer for both women and men in the US with over 100,000 new cases estimated for 2019. [1]
Unfortunately, symptoms of colon cancer can appear to be something else entirely. That’s why it is crucial to identify early symptoms and begin treatment as soon as possible. Survival rates depend on how much colon cancer has spread or which stage it is in. [2]
1. Bowel Troubles
Constipation, diarrhea, a change in stool consistency, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), narrow stools, and other issues are often early warning signs of colon cancer. Colon cancer patients often have diagnoses related to trouble in bowel movements.
2. Fatigue or Weakness
Colon cancer causes tumors or polyps to form which can lead to intestinal bleeding and anemia. This blood loss then causes dizziness, fatigue, exhaustion, weakness, and difficulty breathing. If these symptoms appear together with feeling cold often, even when it’s warm outside, and sleeping much more, you could have colon cancer.
3. Unexplained or Sudden Weight Loss
An unexplained or sudden loss of weight or appetite can be caused by colon cancer. Colon cancer prevents the body from efficiently eliminating waste which then slows down your appetite. Colon cancer patients often mention feeling full or that they aren’t hungry.
4. Stomach Pain
Although bloating and gas happens to everyone sometimes, having chronic cramping, pain, nausea, gas, and discomfort requires immediate medical attention.
5. Abdomen Pain
Abdominal pain can be caused by many different things, but if it doesn’t go away, it should be looked into. Pain may be due to an intestinal tear or obstruction due to a colon cancer polyp, or an enlarged organ.
6. Blood in Your Stool
Many people notice blood in their stool at least once in their life because of hemorrhoids. If the blood is bright red, then it’s from the end of the rectal tract and hasn’t had time to darken. If the blood in your stool is darker or looks like a dark red to black, this might mean there’s bleeding inside your digestive tract.
7. Vomiting
Vomiting can happen from common colds, motion sickness, food poisoning, and pregnancy for example, but it’s also very common in colon cancer when a colon blockage causes nausea and vomiting.
8. Skin Showing Jaundice
Your liver filters your blood and colon cancer usually spreads to your liver first. This process blocks bile ducts and bile ends up in your bloodstream thus causing yellowish skin and eyes, darker urine, itching skin, and pale stools.
9. Bowel Urgency
Feeling constant urgency and pressure in your bowels might be a sign that a tumor is affecting your rectal tissue or causing a stool blockage.
10. Unexplained Anemia and Deficiency in Iron
Anemia and iron deficiency are an early warning sign for colon cancer on the right side of your colon. This symptom is the first to show up before any bowel problems or noticeable tumors. Anemia is very important because otherwise colon cancer originating from the right side of your colon is very hard to pick up. A slow loss of blood and anemia due to tumors on the right side of your colon causes iron deficiency over time
[1]https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
[2]https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/colorectal-cancer/statistics