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Written by Samantha Brown
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Cancer has its own share of victims and within the past few decades, we have all witnessed the slow steady rise in the number of people who died from cancer. In 2007, around 7.6 million people died from cancer according to the American Cancer Society. Cancer may occur at anyone and at any age. Famous people who had colon cancer includes Audrey Hepburn, Charles Schulz, Pope John Paul II, Elizabeth Montgomery, Ronald Regan.
Cancer is a disease that involves abnormal cell growth, invasion to nearby tissues and other parts of the body. Cancer is more commonly associated with people, although there are cases wherein animals have cancer. Many know colon cancer as large bowel cancer or colorectal cancer.
Before symptoms appear, the colon cancer has already existed for quite sometime. Patients feel symptoms of colon cancer but they just disregard it thinking that its something else that’s less deadly. Sometimes, it can be too late. You should know more about the symptoms of colon cancer because it ranks in second as the leading cause of cancer related deaths.
According to Webmd, there are many symptoms of colon cancer . These symptoms vary depending on what part of the body the cancer is growing. When one has colon cancer the areas affected could include the colon, appendix and the rectum. Oftentimes, people suffering from colon cancer have pale skin and are easily fatigued. Chronic bleeding causes anemia. If the cancer is growing in the right ascending colon, signs and symptoms may come only later. The doctor can detect it by feeling the abdominal wall if the tumor has enlarged.
If the cancer is growing at the left colon, one will feel an alternate between constipation and bowel movements. Cancer patients also complain about the feeling of incomplete defecation. The stool color is not the same as before as sometimes there is a bloody stool and the size is narrower. Although, there are times that blood cannot be seen with the naked eye and it could only be detected in laboratories.
If the cancer is growing in the rectal area, patients will be bleeding during bowel movement. A bloody stool and bleeding rectum are one of the signs that people should look out for. If you have this, do not immediately disregard those as hemorrhoids because it could already be colon cancer! Bowel movements will be painful and even sitting can be painful. This usually occurs when the cancer has grown and moved on to outside the rectum. |
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