Colorectal Cancer
Alternate Names : Colorectal Cancer
What are the signs and symptoms of the disease?
The colorectal tumor can bleed into the inside of the bowel. Symptoms may include:
rectal bleeding
dark stools called melena, caused by blood in the stools
anemia, which is a low blood cell count, from blood or iron loss
changes in bowel habits, such as the frequency of bowel movements
smaller stools
mucus discharge from the rectum
vague abdominal distress
gas pain
hemorrhoids, which are dilated blood vessels in the rectal area
A tumor can narrow or block the bowel. It can also perforate the bowel, causing infection or bleeding into the abdominal cavity. When colorectal cancer spreads to other sites in the body, it can cause:
liver cancer
jaundice
pain in the liver
loss of appetite and weight loss
lung cancer
Rarely, swollen lymph nodes are a sign of colorectal cancer. Unusual health problems sometimes associated with colorectal cancer include:
thrombophlebitis, an inflammation in the veins of the lower leg
unusual syndromes that change skin coloring
muscle problems
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