Colon cancer is often nicknamed “the silent killer.” This cancer, though subtle in its warning signs and symptoms, can appear without any warning. Yet it’s incredibly deadly if left to grow, claiming approximately 53,200 lives and appearing in more than 104,000 new cases annually. Colon cancer, or colorectal cancer, is difficult to detect unless you know what symptoms to look for.
When it’s found early, colon cancer doesn’t have to be deadly. However, the key to detecting colon cancer in its earliest stages requires regular screening. With the number of colon cancer cases rising each year, it’s important to know what changes to your health might be a subtle sign of a potential problem.
Many symptoms of colon cancer can be mistaken for other common ailments. The following nine symptoms are common in cases of colon cancer – so let your doctor know if you’re experiencing any of them.
1. Fatigue or Weakness
If you’re feeling tired constantly, you aren’t alone. Plenty of people experience feelings of exhaustion and fatigue in everyday life. However, sometimes being tired is much more than a few missed hours of sleep. If it’s persistent, you could be experiencing a symptom of colon cancer.
Colon cancer can cause feelings of tiredness, weakness, and fatigue. Excessive fatigue can be a sign of late-stage – stage 3 or 4 – colon cancer. If you’re experiencing fatigue regularly, discuss your symptoms with your doctor as soon as possible.
2. Unexplained Weight Loss
Weight loss is often viewed as a positive health change, especially if you’ve been working hard to slim down. But if you’re suddenly shedding pounds without even trying, there might be an underlying health cause. And many different types of cancer, as well as other serious illnesses, can lead to weight loss.
However, unexplained weight loss can be a particularly concerning potential symptom of colon cancer. Early stages of colon cancer often exhibit sudden weight loss as a symptom. Because colon cancer directly affects your body’s ability to filter and eliminate waste, losing weight could have a direct connection to your colorectal system.
3. Pain in the Abdomen
If you’re experiencing pain in your abdomen, there could be countless health concerns playing a role. It could be discomfort after eating too much, strained muscles, or even a digestive tract issue. But it could also be caused by colon cancer that’s begun spreading beyond the colon itself.
Pain in the abdomen can appear as cramping, discomfort, bloating, or any other kind of pain. You might experience gas or sharp pains. If the pain is persistent or frequent, make sure to mention your symptoms to your doctor.
4. A Constant Need to Go to the Bathroom
Are you feeling like you constantly need to have a bowel movement? Do you feel a constant sense of pressure or urgency, one that interferes with your daily life? Colon cancer can cause you to feel like you always need to have a bowel movement. And even after going to the bathroom and emptying your bowels, you might feel like you immediately need to go again.
If you’re feeling like you constantly need to go to the bathroom, you might also experience the feeling that your bowels are never empty. This common colon cancer symptom can signify a blockage in the colon – one that’s potentially caused by a polyp or tumor.
5. Iron Deficiency (Anemia)
You might not draw a connection between an iron deficiency, or anemia, and cancer. But in the case of colon cancer, there can be a direct link. Colon cancer can cause bleeding in the intestines, which can result in a number of changes like blood in your stool and abdominal pain.
But that unseen internal bleeding can also result in anemia. As your body slowly loses blood due to colon cancer, you can develop an unusually low number of red blood cells. So, if your doctor discovers that you have an iron deficiency, make sure the doctor also screens for potential causes like colon cancer.
6. Jaundice
Jaundice is the yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, and it can be caused in connection with a few different ailments. In fact, it’s often a symptom of a more serious underlying condition. However, jaundice typically occurs because there’s a build up of bilirubin in the body – a material that’s connected to the body’s ability to eliminate waste.
And jaundice can be what’s considered a systemic symptom of colon cancer. As colon cancer spreads throughout the body, it can begin affecting different areas and organs, ultimately resulting in jaundice.
7. Vomiting
Vomiting can be a symptom of plenty of different health issues. It might happen due to an illness as common as the flu, or as the result of improperly cooked food. But vomiting is often directly linked to the digestive system, and that’s where colon cancer can come into play.
Vomiting can potentially be a sign of colon cancer – depending on what’s causing the vomiting. If you’re throwing up, it could be a systemic colon cancer symptom, or a symptom that occurs once the cancer begins to spread. There could be blockages or tumors in the digestive system, waste could be trapped, or solids and liquids could be backing up in the body.
8. Blood in Stool
If you find blood in your stool, you should be concerned. Sure, blood might happen as the result of a number of different health concerns. But no matter what the cause is, finding blood in your stool is often the sign of a serious health problem.
And rectal bleeding or blood in your stool can be an early warning symptom of colon cancer. Make sure to make an appointment with your doctor to determine what’s causing the bleeding as soon as possible.
9. Changes in Bowel Habits
Lastly, if you’re noticing changes to your normal bowel habits, you’ll want to pay close attention. Because colon cancer directly affects the bowels and the systems that work with them, a change in what’s happening when you have a bowel movement can be a warning sign.
Look for changes in your bowel habits that last for more than a few days. You might experience long, thin, and stringy stool, constipation, or diarrhea. If these changes persist, you need to see your doctor to determine what’s causing the change. You could be experiencing one of the very first, or most noticeable, symptoms of colon cancer.