COLON CANCER. WARNING SIGNS

The colon is the largest part of the intestine, which is an organ that is located within the abdominal cavity. Benign and malignant tumours can develop in the colon like in any other organ. Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide with the same proportion of men and women suffering from it. The age of fifty is the most common age in which this type of cancer emerges at however, it could also appear at earlier ages.

SYMPTOMS

Even though colon cancer can be unnoticed as it can rarely present any symptoms, it is important to take immediate action when they do emerge.

The most important symptoms are:

1. Faeces with red or dark blood

2. Changes in intestinal habits for more than a period of three weeks such as diarrhoea or constipation

3. Going from having normal faeces to very thin faeces

4. Permanent abdominal pain or pain when defecating

5. Inflamed abdomen producing a constant feeling of fullness

6. Feeling as though intestinal emptiness is not completed

7. Waking up with abdominal pain during the night

8. Anaemia without any apparent cause

9. Tiredness

10. Weakness

11. An inexplicable loss of weight

12. Shortness of breath

13. Dizziness

DIAGNOSIS

• Colonoscopy or colon endoscopy

When completing this test, a sample or biopsy of the lesion or the found polyp is taken. This is the main test that is used to diagnose this type of cancer.

Other tests include:

• Virtual colonoscopy
• Sigmoidoscopy
• CT scan
• MRI Scan
• Etc

TREATMENT

• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Radiotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Others

Preventive measures are so important that we will be exploring them separately in the next article.

Dr J. Hurtado Martínez

Medical Director of HealthSalus