The gastrointestinal tract is by far the most cancerous system in our body. A tumor can develop anywhere in this organ. Moreover, all oncopathologies of the gastrointestinal tract are dangerous and have the same peculiarity: in the early stages signs of the disease are practically absent.
Symptoms of cancer of the stomach and pancreas
For example, cancer in the pancreas is often not detected before the onset of the stage, when it is already difficult to treat (the tumor has increased and began to spread).
Outwardly, the symptoms of cancer are manifested by jaundice in the patient, weight loss, abdominal pain, nausea, and the presence of fat in the stool. If the tumor blocked the bile duct in the intestine, the stool loses its brown color and becomes pale, and urine, on the contrary, darkens.
By the way, in the head of the pancreas, cancer is detected earlier than with oncopathology of its other sites.
Colon Cancer: Symptoms
Colon cancer (colorectal) ranks second in the country in terms of the number of cases. Like pathologies in other parts of the gastrointestinal tract, colon cancer does not have specific symptoms that belong only to it. Blood in the stool or black stools, constant constipation or diarrhea, weight loss, pain in the anus, stomach, bloating, which are not explained by anything, are not only symptoms of cancer, but also manifestations of other diseases.
Cancer Early Diagnosis Method
Based on the foregoing, one of the most effective methods for the timely diagnosis of oncopathology is colonoscopy (a complete visual examination of the walls of the large intestine using a probe).
This procedure allows not only to establish the state of the intestinal mucosa, but also to take, if necessary, small pieces of tissue for laboratory analysis, if necessary, during the examination. If small polyps are found, they can be immediately removed.
If the family has a hereditary tendency to cancer, such an examination should be done to all over the age of forty and repeated examinations should be carried out regularly: every 4-5 years.
What manifestations should alert
In order not to miss the early symptoms of cancer, you must be attentive to the condition of your body. So, frequent changes in the intestines (constipation, diarrhea) and the detection of traces of blood in the feces should alert you and make you immediately consult a doctor.
At later stages of tumor development, patients also have a feeling of incomplete emptying and heaviness in the intestine. Also, an alarming sign that requires a mandatory visit to a specialist may be pain during bowel movements, false desires for it, and, of course, pain in the rectum.
When colorectal cancer is most likely to develop
There are risk factors in which the development of cancer is most likely. It:
- ulcerative colitis (the presence of inflammation and ulcers of the intestine);
- congenital familial polyposis (with it polyps form on the lining of the colon);
- love of fatty foods (regular consumption of foods high in fat, but poor in fiber).
Do not wait until the symptoms of cancer become absolutely certain! This usually occurs in the later stages of the disease. Do not take risks and be healthy!