A doctor has issued a warning to adults around the world concerning five symptoms that might suggest you have bowel cancer.
As per Mayo Clinic, colon cancer typically affects older adults, though it can happen at any age. It usually begins as small clumps of cells called polyps that form inside the colon.
With sources now suggesting this particular form of cancer is becoming increasingly prevalent in young people, more is being done to spread awareness as to a set of often-overlooked symptoms. Nobody wants to believe they’re living with cancer, naturally, but it’s crucially important to catch the disease in the earliest stage possible to aid your ability to beat it.
Dr Jack Ogden, a doctor at The Lagom Clinic in Bristol, UK, revealed to the Daily Mail that there are five ‘subtle’ symptoms that are ‘often overlooked’ by individuals who have bowel cancer.
Sadly, the fact that said symptoms aren’t life-changing and can be easy to ignore means that the cancer has a better shot of going undiagnosed for a prolonged period.
“Awareness of these silent signs can save lives. Paying attention to subtle changes and acting promptly is the best defence against colon cancer,” Dr Ogden said.
The first sign on Dr Ogden’s list is iron deficiency anemia, resulting in a person having ‘unexplained fatigue, pale skin or shortness of breath’.
Accompanying symptoms with anemia – which is a common condition – can included chest pain, heart palpitations, and even dizziness.
As far as it relates to bowel cancer, it could be a result of a tumor bleed, causing loss of blood that leads to inflammation and iron not being properly absorbed.
Another common symptom has to do with stool, with signs including frequent constipation, diarrhoea, or narrow stools.
Now, variation in bowl movements is normal, and can be caused by changes to the diet and general health of an individual.
In the case of something like narrow stools, however, it can also be a result of a tumor obstructing the colon.
A third sign – and perhaps one people have heard about before – is unexplained weight loss. Losing weight if you’ve started working out more, or made a change to your calorie intake, might not be all that suspicious.
Losing weight unintentionally and seemingly without cause, though, could point to a darker problem. As far as bowel cancer is concerned, weight loss can occur when a person loses their appetite, or tumors stop nutrients from being absorbed.
Another sign is bloating and abdominal pain. “Persistent cramping” or feeling full soon after eating can be warning signs of cancer. If you notice any drastic change in these respects, it could be a good idea to seek an assessment.
The fifth, final, and likely most obvious sign is blood in the stool.
Blood can appear black if it’s old, and might not even be detected unless through a stool test. Nonetheless, black or dark red blood usually indicates that bleeding is happening somewhere internally. Lighter, fresh-colored blood may be caused by haemorrhoids or an anal fissure, but darker tones can be a sign of a more troubling issue.
Did you know these signs and symptoms? Let us know in the comments.
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