Colon Cancer

Colon cancer symptoms can appear in a number of different ways, depending on where in the intestine the tumor is and how advanced it is. Some people will have no colon cancer symptoms until the cancer is in its late stages. Common colon cancer symptoms include:

- Passing blood in the stool 
- Large amounts of mucous with the stool 
- A change from the normal bowel habit, such as loose stool or 
- Constipation 
- Abdominal pain 
- Weight loss 
- Feeling tired 

These colon cancer symptoms can also occur in other conditions. For example, hemorrhoids can cause blood in the stool and infections in the colon can cause diarrhea.

If there is bleeding from a tumor, it often occurs slowly over a period of many months. In this case, the person may be unaware of the loss of blood but may become anemic, possibly leading to shortness of breath, a feeling of tiredness and dizziness.

If a tumour becomes large enough, it may block the colon completely. When this occurs, the blockage prevents the passage of stool and gas, leading to swelling of the abdomen. As food is not able to pass the blockage, affected people often feel sick and may vomit. If this happens, the person needs to be admitted to hospital urgently. Pressure building up in the colon may cause it to rupture, leading to a serious infection of the abdomen called peritonitis.

As with other cancers, colon cancer symptoms may spread to other parts of the body. Almost half of all people with colon cancer will have some spread to glands within the abdomen. Some will also have spread to other parts of the body such as the liver, lungs and bones.
When colon cancer symptoms appear, it is important to contact a doctor as soon as possible.