Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer: Early Signs and Diagnosis

Colorectal Cancer Symptoms: Warning Signs and Treatment

Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer that is known to affect the large intestine (colon) or rectum. This is one of the common cancer types that is found worldwide, and it is known to cause severe harm to one's health.

However, the risk of colon cancer is known to increase with age; in most cases, it affects people over 50 years old. As per the National Library of Medicine, this is the third most diagnosed cancer and remains the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths.

With that being said, in this blog, we will learn in detail about colorectal cancer symptoms and how they can be managed.

Detailed Insight into Pathophysiology of Colorectal Cancer

Most of the colorectal cancer starts as a small outgrowth on the inner lining of the colon or rectum. Such growths are also referred to as polyps, which change into cancer over time.

However, such changes in cancerous cells usually take time, usually over many years. Let us see the different colorectal cancer types based on the formation of polyps:

• Adenomatous Polyps: These polyps are sometimes known to be cancerous and are effectively sub-groped under precancerous conditions. There are three types of polyps; they are tubular, villous, and tubulovillous, etc. 
• Hyperplastic Polyps and Inflammatory Polyps: Common types of polyps that are usually not cancerous. However, if you have polyps that are more than 1 cm in size, you might need a screening using colonoscopy techniques. 
• Sessile-Serrated Polyps (SSPs) and Traditional-Serrated Adenomas (TSAs): are often treated like adenomas as they are known to have a higher risk of changing into cancer. 

As the disease progresses, there are multiple observable colorectal cancer symptoms in females or males; let us address these symptoms below.

Colorectal Cancer Symptoms

Many people who have colorectal cancer do not present any symptoms during their initial years. However, as the size of the tumour grows gradually, multiple symptoms present themselves. Some of the symptoms of colorectal cancer are as follows:

• Changing Bowel Habits: There are repeated occurrences of diarrhoea and, in some cases, constipation, one of the common signs of colorectal cancer that you can detect early on. 
• Bleeding: Some polyps might get cancerous over time and they start bleeding. One may find blood during faecal discharges, which is worrying and might indicate colorectal cancer. While there are many physiological changes in colorectal cancer symptoms, bleeding serves as a point for immediate attention. 
• Constant Discomfort: In the case of cancerous polyps, one might face discomfort in the belly area or cramps. Gastric problems are also known to be prevalent in such circumstances, which explains the discomfort. 
• Weight Loss: A person undergoing such a disease may also see constant weight loss or feel weak while involved in some physical activity. This is one of the most severe manifestations of colorectal cancer symptoms that degrades the quality of life.

Cause of Colorectal Cancer

Although doctors are not sure of the exact reasons why polyps develop in the colon, some factors might affect the cellular level of DNA in polyps. Whenever there are problems in the cellular DNA structure, it leads to the formation of cancerous cells.

These changes in the cellular DNA can be caused by a variety of factors:

• Lifestyle-Related Problems: Unhealthy lifestyle choices are the key concerns that lead to colorectal cancer. A diet low in fibre or fruits is one of the key reasons for such problems. Apart from that, smoking (overuse of tobacco products) is one of the leading causes of such problems. In many cases, symptoms of colorectal cancer are aggravated with increased consumption of nicotine. 
• Environmental Factors: Environmental factors are also known to cause such genetic modifications. Most pesticides or the usage of other pesticides in food can also increase colorectal cancer. A study headed by NIEHS (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) identified 18 chemicals that are known to cause the issue. 
• Genetic Factors: Many studies have also pointed out that genetic conditions like Lynch syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis can increase the risks of colorectal cancer. However, the same study has also pointed out that only 10% to 20% of diseases are caused by genetic disorders. 
• Radiation Therapies: Exposure to radiation due to some previous therapies is also known to cause such diseases as well. Radiation from X-rays, CT scans, and exposure to radioactive particles are some of the major causative agents that cause such problems.

Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer

Several colorectal cancer diagnoses help in the early understanding and prevention of the disease; some of them are:

1. Colonoscopy: Colonoscopy is a method that uses a long, flexible tube that has a mounted small camera at its end. This camera is known to monitor and view the full colon or the rectum. A doctor may also use a sterile tool to take some tissue samples and proceed with a biopsy.
2. Biopsy: Post colonoscopy, the tissue extracted is checked for any defects in their morphology. These tissues may also be artificially cultivated to check for cellular growth kinetics. Once a trained practitioner identifies them as cancerous, it is a positive test for colorectal cancer.
3. Blood Tests: While this is not a definitive test, it is performed to understand the levels of CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen). Once these proteins are found in the blood and low levels of RBCs are noticed, it helps predict bleeding colorectal cancer.

Management and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer treatment requires a proper understanding of the cause and level of spread of the disease. Some of the prominent ways to treat cancer in the colon are as follows:

Surgical Procedures

Surgical methods like polypectomy are known to remove cases of cancerous polyps. If the spread is relatively large, doctors may also suggest a partial colectomy that is performed to remove a section of the colon. After such resections, the doctor may also recommend surgery like anastomosis, where healthy sections of the colon are joined together.

Radiofrequency ablation might also be used to enable elevated temperatures to destroy cancerous cells.

Chemotherapy

Healthcare providers are also known to use chemotherapeutic drugs to shrink the tumours. This is one of the vital steps undertaken to reduce the spread and enable a faster cure. 

Targeted Therapy 

In targeted therapy, the agents are specifically utilised for targeting the specific genes and proteins that favour cancer growth. Healthcare providers often use monoclonal antibodies to initiate a cure.

Final Words

Colorectal cancer is a prominent disease with a relatively high mortality rate. Apart from that, colorectal cancer survival rates are also known to vary as per the advancement stages. It is crucial to detect the disease early on and take preventive measures for the same. To avoid such conditions, a person needs to take effective measures and ensure they are maintaining a proper diet with more fibre.