What are the Symptoms of Colon Cancer

The following is an excerpt from an article found on Colonhealth.about.com. Ms Dixon goes through the different types of colon cancer symptoms and how to identify them. This is good reading. BE INFORMED!


What are the Symptoms of Colon Cancer?
By Suzanne Dixon, MPH, RD

Colon cancer can have many symptoms. However, in the early stages, people with colon cancer often have no symptoms at all. This is why regular screening beginning at 50 is an important investment in your healthy future.

Colon cancer symptoms come in two general varieties:

1.Local
2.Systemic

Local Colon Cancer Symptoms

Local colon cancer symptoms affect your bathroom habits and the colon itself. Some of the more common local symptoms of colon cancer include:

•Changes in your bowel habits, such as bowel movements that are either more or less frequent than normal
•Constipation (difficulty having a bowel movement or straining to have a bowel movement)
•Diarrhea (loose or watery stools)
•Intermittent (alternating) constipation and diarrhea
•Bright red or dark red blood in your stools or black, dark colored, "tarry" stools
•Stools that are thinner than normal ("pencil stools") or feeling as if you cannot empty your bowels completely
•Abdominal (midsection) discomfort, bloating, frequent gas pains, or cramps
If you experience any of these for two or more weeks, call your doctor right away to discuss your concerns and arrange for tests to get to the bottom of your symptoms.


Systemic Colon Cancer Symptoms

Systemic colon cancer symptoms are those that affect your whole body, such as weight loss, and include:

•Unintentional weight loss (losing weight when not dieting or trying to lose weight)
•Loss of appetite
•Unexplained fatigue (extreme tiredness)
•Nausea or vomiting
•Anemia (low red blood cell count or low iron in your red blood cells)
•Jaundice (yellow color to the skin and whites of the eyes)
If you experience any of these for any length of time, even a few days, call your doctor right away to discuss your concerns and arrange for tests to get to the bottom of your symptoms.

What Should I Do if I Have Colon Cancer Symptoms?

Call your doctor so he or she can set up an appointment to see you. During the appointment your doctor will take a medical history, collect blood samples for testing, and schedule you for follow-up tests, if needed.

Many people are afraid of colon cancer screening. They worry that it will hurt and that it is embarrassing. Your doctor and nurse have performed hundreds, and in some cases even thousands, of these procedures. There is nothing to be embarrassed about and remember: Even your doctor and nurse undergo these same tests to take care of their own health.


Preparing for Colon Cancer Tests

If you are worried about preparing for your colon cancer tests, ask your doctor about how best to get ready for any procedures. There are different medications for clearing your colon of stool to ensure a good screening. There is no reason to suffer in silence!