What are the main symptoms of Bowel Cancer (Colorectal Cancer)? The main symptoms of bowel cancer can be: - Bleeding from the back passage (rectum);
- Blood in the stools, which may not always be obvious;
- A change in normal bowel habits towards diarrhoea or looser stools that has lasted for six weeks or more;
- A lump that the doctor can feel in the right side of the abdomen, or in the rectum;
- A straining feeling in the rectum;
- Unexplained weight loss;
- Pain in the abdomen or rectum;
- Anaemia (low red blood cells), which can lead to tiredness and sometimes breathlessness.
Sometimes cancer of the bowel can cause a blockage, the symptoms of this are: - Griping pains in the abdomen;
- Feeling bloated;
- Constipation;
- Being sick.
Can other diseases cause the symptoms of Bowel Cancer? It is possible that other diseases can cause the symptoms of Bowel Cancer. Conditions that are much less serious can exhibit the symptoms of Bowel Cancer such as inflammatory bowel disease, bowel infections and piles (also known as haemorrhoids). A younger person with itching, soreness and bleeding from the back passage is much more likely to have piles than Bowel Cancer. It is possible that someone with Bowel Cancer may not exhibit any of the symptoms of Bowel Cancer and so if you are at all concerned in any way you should see your doctor and discuss your worries with him. If I have the symptoms of Bowel Cancer should I be referred to a specialist? The symptoms of Bowel Cancer are very common and are usually attributed to much more minor conditions than cancer as was explained above. However, there are occasions when particular combinations of symptoms are presented to the GP and the patient should be referred to a specialist immediately (within two weeks). What are the symptoms of Bowel Cancer that require immediate referral to a specialist? The symptoms of Bowel Cancer that require immediate referral to a specialist are as follows: For a person of any age, if the GP can feel a lump in the right side of the abdomen, a lump in the rectum or if they have a type of anaemia called iron deficient anaemia if there is no known cause for it. For a person over the age of 40, if they are suffering from the symptoms described above, if there is bleeding from the back passage, if there has been a change in normal bowel habits towards loser or more frequent stools, or both that has lasted for six weeks or more. For a person over the age of 60, if they have any of the above symptoms, if there has been a change in bowel habits towards looser or more frequent stools, or both, that has lasted for six weeks or more but without bleeding from the back passage, or if there is persistent bleeding from the back passage without any signs of piles (haemorrhoids) such as itching, pain or discomfort in the back passage. |
