7 Early Signs of Bowel Cancer You Shouldn’t Ignore

Bowel cancer is one of the most dangerous and deadly forms of cancer and, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), affects 10-15% of the world’s population.

It develops when colon cells grow uncontrollably and cause lumps in the lining of the large intestine.

As with other types of cancers, it can attack the body quickly and also lead to many difficulties.

It’s very serious and there’s a high risk of developing this type of cancer if you have a colon polyp, a family history of the disease or if you suffer from ulcerative colitis.

Timely detection and good medical treatment can increase the life expectancy of those who are suffering from this type of cancer.

Because of this, it’s very important to look out for the early symptoms of bowel cancer and, of course, go to a specialist in case of any suspicion.

Read also:

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Let’s take a look at 7 symptoms to watch out for.

Sings of bowel cancer

1. Changes in bowel habits

Both constipation and diarrhea may be related to abnormalities in colon cells.

Having incomplete bowel movements, bowel incontinence or thin stool regularly is enough to consult a physician.

Although these symptoms almost always tend to arise because of bad habits or common conditions, it’s necessary to consider them as a possible risk factor of this type of cancer.

Read also:

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2. Blood in your stool

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the presence of blood in your stool is one of the most important signs of bowel cancer.

Although several digestive disorders can cause this symptom, its appearance could indicate the presence of tumors in the intestine.

In addition, it’s common among those who are at risk of diseases such as:

• Gastritis
• Ulcerative colitis
• Crohn’s disease
• Chronic constipation

3. Anemia

Anemia is a disease that’s caused by a decrease in red blood cells, which are responsible for transporting oxygen to all the cells in the body.

Those who suffer from it often go through severe episodes of fatigue and weakness. They experience this even when they’ve had a good night’s sleep and eat healthily.

Although this can be caused by genetic or nutritional factors or excessive blood loss, bowel cancer should not be ruled out as one of its causes.

4. Abdominal pain

It’s very difficult to consider abdominal pain as a sign of cancer since indigestion or common stomach problems cause it in most cases.

However, when it occurs recurrently and inexplicably, it’s important that a specialist thoroughly analyzes the problem.

The fact that this pain appears suddenly may indicate that something is altering the environment in the gut.

It may also point to an alteration in the bacterial flora or be a sign that cells in this area are growing excessively.

5. Sudden weight loss

Of course, weight loss is one of the things that pretty much everyone wants. However, it’s usually achieved by following a healthy diet and regular exercise.

If  it occurs suddenly and effortlessly, this is almost always a sign of some type of disease.

If you suffer from bowel cancer then you may experience decreased appetite and the nutritional deficiencies it leads to.

6. Vomiting

Vomiting caused by indigestion or digestive difficulty is normal and usually goes away in a short time.

However, when it appears as a recurring or involuntary symptom or for no apparent reason, then it may be time to worry.

Although this type of vomiting may be caused many different health problems, bowel cancer usually provokes it. This is because the bowel cells begin to behave abnormally.

This, in turn, usually leads to dehydration, fatigue and excess acidity.

7. Excess Gas

Excess gas in the intestine is caused by the alterations that the bacterial flora undergo due to the development of bowel cancer.

It is, of course, a symptom that can usually be associated with other changes in the body. Eating certain foods, common diseases and unhealthy habits can also cause this symptom.

Knowing how to identify these symptoms and analyzing how recurrent they are is vital in order to achieve a timely detection of the disease.

Having two or more of these symptoms at the same time is reason enough to request the relevant medical tests.