The colorectal cancer or commonly called as the colon cancer is the type of cancer that starts in the colon or rectum, which is in the large intestines. This cancer commonly starts as the small polyps. In the most cases, the polyps may be benign, but some of them will develop as the cancerous cells. Before you see the symptoms of the colon cancer, first you need to see the possible causes of the colon cancer.
The Causes of the Colon Cancer
Sadly, the researchers still don’t know about the main cause why a person could have the colon cancer. While the main cause of this deadly disease is still unknown, but according to the researchers, there are two possibilities on why the colon cancer could be occurring. Here are the possible causes of the colon cancer.
- Precancerous Growth. The abnormal cells accumulate in the lining of colon which then will be formed as polyps. Some of these polyps could be benign, but some of these polyps could become the cancerous cells whenever you left it untreated.
- Gene Mutations. This indication could be possible since the patient of colon cancer is commonly having the family members that suffer from colon cancer too. This is probably because of the gene mutation that passes from parents to their child.
The Stages of the Colon Cancer
Whenever a person is suspected of having the colon cancer, there are five stages regarding this colon cancer, which are:
- Stage 0: This is the earliest stage of the colon cancer diagnosis, which is commonly occurring when the doctor fing that there are abnormal cells in the lining of the colon. These abnormal cells could be spread and become cancerous.
- Stage 1: This stage is considered whenever the cancer already spread beyond the inner walls of the colon and into the muscle layers in the colon.
- Stage 2: This stage is considered whenever the cancer cells extend past the muscular wall pf the colon into the outher layer of the wall that commonly called as serosa.
- Stage 3: This stage is considered when the cancer cells have spread beyond the serosaand into the lymph nodes.
- Stage 4: This stage is considered as the most advance stage of the colon cancer. At this stage, the cancer is already spreading through the various body organs, which is really dangerous.
The Symptoms of the Colon cancer
After you already know everything about the possible causes of the colon cancer and the various stages of the colon cancer, now you need to know the various symptoms of the colon cancer. Here are the various symptoms of the colon cancer.
1. Unexplained Fatigue
The first Symptoms of Colon Cancer that could be the sign that you’re having the colon cancer is the unexplained fatigue. So, whenever you feel the tiredness but you don’t have enough physical activity, that is the sign of the unexplained fatigue. The medical issues like all types of cancers are commonly could lead you to the sudden fatigue without any apparent reason at all.
Whenever you’re having the fatigue without any reason at all, you need to treat it immediately, whether you treat it on your own or seek the medical treatment. The common treatment of unexplained fatigue including:
- Practicing the healthy habits and stay hydrated.
- Having the adequate time of sleep
- Controlling the stress level.
- Exercise on the regular basis
- If the fatigue caused by the colon cancer, taking on the chemotherapy and radiation therapy would be beneficial.
2. Weakness
The second symptom that could indicate that you’re having the colon cancer is the sudden weakness. Weakness is the condition that occurs whenever you’re feeling the tiredness of the body. This is pretty similar with the unexplained fatigue, but in weakness, you may also experience the tremors, which is the condition when you couldn’t control the movements of the body. All types of cancers could lead you to weakness and thus, the colon cancer could lead you to the sudden weakness too.
Whenever you’re having the sudden weakness, you need to treat it as soon as possible as this condition could be the sign of colon cancer. Whenever your doctor diagnose that the main cause of the weakness related to the colon cancer, the doctor would suggest you to have the surgery, or even the chemotherapy to treat this problem.
3. Abdominal Pain
The next symptom that could indicate that you’re having the colon cancer is the abdominal pain. So, the abdominal pain is the pain that occurs around the chest and pelvic. The abdominal pain could be crampy, itchy, and this condition is closely related to the stomachache.
While there are so many causes that could lead you to the abdominal pain, but the irritable bowel syndrome and spastic colon, alongside with the growth of tumor and polyps in the colon could lead you to the abdominal pain.
Whenever you’re having the abdominal pain, it is very essential for you to seek the medical treatment as soon as possible so that the doctor could diagnose the main cause of the abdominal pain. If you’re having the abdominal pain related to the colon cancer, the treatment must be the surgery and chemotherapy since the cancer is a life-threatening disease.
4. Constipation
The next symptom that you’re having the colon cancer is the constipation. Constipation is the condition that occurs whenever you’re having the bowel movement fewer than three weeks. In the matter of fact, the constipation is one of the most common symptom that occurs within the people around the world. So, the colon have responsibility to absorb the water and salt from the foods as the passing through the digestive system, which then creates stools. But, in the case that you’re having the colon cancer, the stools remain in the colon too long.
Whenever you’re having the constipation, you could treat it either on your own or seek the medical treatment. The treatment of constipation including:
- If you have the urge feel of having the bowel movement, you need to do it immediately. Don’t try to delay it.
- Drinking plenty of fluids everyday.
- Taking the healthy diets and consume the foods that contain high amount of fiber.
- Make sure that you’re having the physical exercise everyday.
- Cut down the consumption the foods that contain low-amount of fibers such as milk, cheese, or other processed foods.
5. Diarrhea
The next Symptoms of Colon Cancer that also could indicate that you’re having the colon cancer is the diarrhea. So, diarrhea is the disease that occurs whenever there are the watery stools in the bowel movements and when you have the frequent feeling of having the bowel movements. The colon cancer could also lead you to the diarrhea as the exact opposite mechanism that already explained above.
So, whenever you’re having the diarrhea, you could treat it either on your own or seek the medical attetntion. The common treatment related to the diarrhea such as:
- You need to make sure that you drink a lot of fluids to replenish the lose fluids because whenever you’re having the diarrhea, you will suffer from the fluid loss.
- In the serious case of diarrhea, you could have the fluids through intravenous therapy.
- Your doctor also might give you the prescription of the antibiotics.
6. Stringy Stools
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the colon cancer is the stringy stools. So, Stringy stools are the condition whenever you find out that the stools have the unusual shape. The shape when you’re having the stringy stools including pencil-thin, ribbon-like, or narrow.
Stringy stool commonly have the narrow shape, either solid or loose. This condition is considered as one of the sign of the colon cancer because whenever you’re having the colon cancer, one or more tumors grow which then makes the space in the colon become narrow and resulting the stringy stool.
The treatment related to stringy stool depends on the underlying cause. In the case of stringy stools caused by the colon cancer, the treatment depends on the stages of the cancer. Early-stage cancer can be resolved by the minimally invasive surgery. Other ways of treatment related to this condition is chemotherapy. radiation therapy, and targeted drug therapy.
7. Bloody Stools
The next symptom that also could be the sign that you’re having the colon cancer is the bloody stools. So, the bloody stools are the condition whenever you find out that there are some bloods in the stool. In this case, this bleeding stool could happen because of the bleeding in the lower half of the digestive system. Cancerous polyps and tumor in the colon can produce the gastrointestinal bleeding, which then cause the bloody stools.
Whenever you find out that you’re experiencing from the bloody stools, you need to seek the medical treatment and make the appointment with the doctor. The bloody stools caused by the colon cancer could be cured by the removal of of the polyps. The doctor will be more likely to conducting the chemotherapy and radiation therapy to kill the cancer cells.
8. Rectal Bleeding
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the colon cancer is the rectal bleeding. So, rectal bleeding is the condition that occurs whenever you find that there is a blood in the bowl whenever you’re having the bowel movement.
This could lead you to the bloody stools too. The rectal bleeding could be the sign of the colon cancer since the bleeding in the anus is commonly caused by the polyps or tumors that grow in the lower part of the gastrointestinal, and then, this part will bleed when the stools already passed.
Whenever you notice that there are some bloods that come out from you anus after having the bowel movements, you need to seek the medical treatment. The treatment related to the rectal bleeding such as:
- The doctor would prescribe you with over the counter medications to relieve the pain caused by the rectal bleeding.
- The doctor may perform the rubber band ligation, laser treatment, or surgical removal of the menorrhoids.
- The doctor will perform the chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy to treat the colon cancer.
9. Flatulence
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the colon cancel is the flatulence.So, flatulence is the condition whenever you’re releasing the gas from the digestive system throught the anus. You could commonly called flatulence as farting.
While this is commonly classified as the common condition, but in the case that you’re having the colon cancer, you might experiencing the excessive flatulence alongside with the other symptoms like abdominal pain.
Whenever you’re having the excessive flatulence alongside with the abdominal pain, you need to seek the medical treatment as soon as possible. The doctor will give you the further assistance to you related to the treatment. In case you’re having the colon cancer, the chemotherapy and radiation therapy could be induced.
10. Unintentional Weight Loss
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the colon cancer is the unintentional weight loss. So, the unintentional weight loss is the condition that occurs whenever you’re experiencing the reduction in the weight without any apparent reason. you’re suffering from the unintentional weight loss whenever you’re not in a diet or increase the physical activity. This disease is the sign for the more serious medical conditions, including colon cancer and other types of cancer.
Whenever you’re experiencing the unintentional weight loss, you need to seek the medical treatment as soon as possible since this is could be the sign of the more serious medical conditions. The common treatment related to the unintentional weight loss are:
- You need to take the nutritional supplements.
- Your doctor will advise you about the best way of diet that would suit to you to gain more weight.
- Whenever the colon cancer is the main cause of the unintentional weight loss, the surgery and chemotherapy will take place.
11. Abdominal Bloating
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the colon cancer is the abdominal bloating. So, abdominal bloating is the condition that occurs when the abdomen feels uncomfortably full and gaseous. While this condition commonly considered as the usual thing that could happen to anyone. But, whenever you’re experiencing from the abdominal bloating alongside with the abdominal pain, this could be the sign that you’re having the more serious medical conditions, including colon cancer.
Whenever you’re suffering from the excessive abdominal bloating with the other colon cancer symptom that already mentioned above, you need to seek the medical treatment as soon as possible. The common treatment related to the abdominal bloating are:
- Changing in lifestyle like don’t chew gum, limit the intake of the carbonated drinks, avoid eating foods that can lead you to bloating, eat slowly.
- In case you’re having the abdominal bloating related to the colon cancer, the doctor would suggest you to have the further treatment such as chemotherapy and surgery.
12. Jaundice
The next colon cancer symptoms that also could indicate that you’re having the colon cancer is the jaundice. So, jaundice is the disease that occurs when the skin and eyes turns become yellow in color.This condition basically can happen because there is too much bilirubin in the body.
Bilirubin is the yellow pigment that commnloy formed by the break down of the dead red blood cells. Jaundice is the condition that could be the sign there is a serious medical condition in the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. Since the colon cancer commonly could do some damages in the pancreas, there is no doubt that colon cancer could lead you to jaundice.
Whenever you’re experiencing that your skin and eyes turns becom yellow, you need to seek the medical treatment as soon as possible. The doctor commonly will search the underlying cause of the jaundice and will cure the main cause of your jaundice, not the symptom itself because whenever the main cause of the jaundice could be cured, the jaundice will diminish as the time goes by. So, whenever you’re having the jaundice because of the colon cancer, the treatment like chemotherapy and surgery will be induced.
13. Anorexia
The next symptom that also indicate that you’re having the colon cancer is the anorexia. Anorexia is the condition whenever you’re having the sudden loss of appetite of foods, even your favourite foods. In the matter of fact, according to the National Cancer Institute, anorexia affects 15 to 25 percent of cancer patients.
So, there is no doubt that whenever you’re having the colon cancer, the anorexia could occur to you. In fact, the cancer treatment such as surgery or chemotherapy would make this disease getting worse than before.
So, whenever you’re facing the sudden loss of appetite without any apparent reason alongside with the symptoms that already mentioned above, you’re probably suffering from the colon cancer. The common treatment related to the anorexia are:
- The doctor would give you the medications that can stimulate the appetite or help the food to move through the intestine.
- The doctor also may refer a patient to the registered dietician that can help you to find the appetite back.
- You need to eat healthy high calorie food, high protein foods, and eat more frequently.
14. Anemia
The next symptom that also could be the sign that you’re having the colon cancer is the anemia. So, anemia is the disease that occurs whenever the number of healthy red blood cells in the body is too low. This thing could lead you to the various medical conditions too. So, in case of the colon cancer, this cancer could lead to the increase destruction of the healthy red blood cells since this cancer can cause the gastrointestinal lesions and damage the hemorrhage, which without a doubt will lead you to the anemia disease.
Whenever you’re having the anemia, the first thing that you should do is taking the supplemental of folic acids, iron, and Vitamin B12. but in severe anemia, you need to g to the doctor since they will be likely to give you the injection of erythropoietin. The blood transfusion is also essential too if you already loss a lot amount of red blood cells.
15. Depression
The next symptom that indicates that you’re having the colon cancer is the depression. depression is considered as the mood disorder and this is the condition that occurs whenever you have the feeling of extreme sadness, anger, or loss. This is the common condition that will occur to every people with the chronic and painful disease like cancer. The main important thing to reduce the symptom of the depression is that you need to share your problems to other people. Don’t take it for yourself since it will make the depression become worse than before.
Aside from sharing the problem with other people, you need to seek the medical treatment to cure yourself from this disorder. The common treatment related to the depression including:
- Getting the adequate time of sleeping.
- Taking the meditation and personal therapy could reduce the symptom of depression.
- Make sure that you’re having the physical exercise on a regular basis.
- Eating the healthy foods that contain a lot of nutritional value.
16. Change in Bowels Habits
The next symptom that also could indicate that you’re having the colon acncer is the change in the bowels habits. So, change in the bowel habits is the condition that occurs differently from one person to another person. This includes how ofthen you’re having the bowel movement, the bowel movement’s consistency and color, and your control whenever you’re having the bowel movement.
While this is possibly considered as the common condition, but when there are so many abnormal change in bowel habits such as tarry stools, bloody stools, changing shape in stools, dry stools, hard stools,or watery stools that occur frequently, this could be the sign that you’re having the colon cancer.
Whenever you’re feeling the symptom that already mentioned above, you need to seek the medical treatment immediately since the colon cancer is a dangerous disease and life-threatening disease.Basically, the treatment of the change in bowel habits is closely related to the underlying cause. Whenever you’re having the change in bowel habits because of the colon cancer, the doctor will perform the chemotherapy or the radiation therapy.
How to Treat Colon Cancer
So, after you already know all of the symptoms that could occur because of the colon cancer, you might want to know how to treat this colon cancer, since if you left it untreated, this will lead you to the fatal conditions. Here are the common treatments related to this deadly and dangerous disease.
- Surgery
Whenever you’re having the colon cancer at the earliest stages, the polyps could be diminished by the induction of the surgery. Whenever you’re having the surgery, when the polyps don’t attach to the wall of your bowels, you will get the positive result related to this disease. But, whenever the polyps are already attached to the walls of your bowels, the surgeon might need to remove a piece of the rectum alongside with the neighboring lymph nodes.
- Chemotherapy
The second treatment that commonly applied in the patient with the colon cancer is the chemotherapy. This treatment commonly involves the drugs that can kill the cancer cells. Whenever you’re having the colon cancer, the chemotherapy would be the treatment after you’re having the surgery to diminish the remained cancerous cells. This treatment will also control the growth of the tumor.
- Radiation
The third treatment that also would be beneficial to treat the colon cancer is the radiation therapy. This treatment commonly uses the energy beam, same as the x-rays to destroy the cancerous cells. This radiation therapy commonly occurs alongside with the chemotherapy.
Now you already know everything that you need to know related to the colon cancer. Since this is one f the dangerous and life-threatening disease, you need to pay the attention whenever you’re having the symptoms that already mentioned above. The early the treatment of this disease, the more positive the outlook too. So, always have the healthy habits of life and stay healthy.