Colorectal cancer, also often referred to as bowel or colon cancer, is one of the biggest killers in the United States, and the symptoms are easily missed.
It’s the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and the fourth-leading cause in women, the American Cancer Society reveals.
Colon cancer symptoms ‘often dismissed’
Colorectal cancer is cancer that starts in the large intestine (colon) or the rectum (end of the colon).
Recognising the symptoms is key to catching it early, and qualified emergency doctor Dr. Joe has gone viral on TikTok after explaining four symptoms that are ‘often dismissed’.
The first one is pencil thin stools, which he explained could be a sign of a mass in the colon due to cancer.
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“It’s not just about the size, shape matters too,” he said.
The next symptom often missed is a feeling of “incomplete emptying,” meaning you never feel like you’ve fully emptied your bowel.
This “mimics the feeling of constipation” but can actually be a sign of colon cancer.
The third thing is back pain, which happens when a tumor in the colon presses on surrounded tissues, or if the cancer spreads to the spine or pelvis.
Another symptom is blood in the stool, which could be tumors “bleeding as they grow,” although there are a lot of other causes for this.
The doctor noted that all of these symptoms can be other things not cancer-related, or “sometimes nothing at all”.
However, he said that if they’re persistent, you should speak to your doctor and request a colonoscopy.
More symptoms of colorectal cancer
MedlinePlus explains that bowel cancer often presents no symptoms at all, although these are the main ones to watch out for:
- Abdominal pain and tenderness in the lower abdomen
- Blood in the stool
- Diarrhea, constipation, or other changes in bowel habits
- Narrow stools
- Weight loss with no known reason
Some people are at higher risk of colon cancer, including those older than 45, people who drink alcohol, those who smoke tobacco, people with obesity and those of African American or Eastern European descent.
Those who eat a lot of red or processed meats, a low-fiber and high-fat diet, don’t eat many fruit and vegetables or have inflammatory bowel disease could be at higher risk too, as well as those with a family history of colorectal cancer.
If you are concerned, speak to a healthcare professional who can provide advice.
Dr. Joe Whittington is a board-certified Emergency Medicine doctor based in Southern California. He graduated from UCLA and St. Louis University School of Medicine, and went on to complete a residency program in emergency medicine.
