Colorectal cancer history and symptoms
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To view the history and symptoms of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), click here
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Saarah T. Alkhairy, M.D.; Elliot B. Tapper, M.D.
Overview
The history of a patient with colorectal cancer may include a family history of polyps/colorectal cancer or a history of inflammatory bowel disease. Some symptoms that are associated with colorectal cancer are change in bowel habits, hematochezia, and rectal pain. Metastatic symptoms include dyspnea, abdominal pain, fractures, and confusion.
Colorectal Cancer History and Symptoms
History
The following may be in the history for a patient with colorectal cancer:
- Past medical history of longstanding inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, another primary cancer, or renal transplantation
- Family history of polyps or colorectal cancer
- Use of cigarettes and/or alcohol
- Low fiber/high fat diet and/or red meat diet
- Sedentary lifestyle
Symptoms
Colon cancer often causes no symptoms until it has reached a relatively advanced stage. When symptoms do occur, they depend on the site of the lesion. Generally speaking, the nearer the lesion is to the anus, the more bowel symptoms there will be, such as:
- Change in bowel habits
- Change in frequency (constipation and/or diarrhea)
- Change in the quality of stools
- Change in consistency of stools
- Hematochezia or bleeding per rectum
- Mucus in stools
- Abdominal cramps or discomfort
- (Melena) (usually associated with upper gastrointestinal disease)
- Tenesmus (usually associated with rectal cancer)
- Diminished caliber of stools (usually associated with rectal cancer)
- Rectal pain (usually associated with rectal cancer)
Constitutional symptoms
- Nausea/vomiting
- Unexplained weight loss
- Unexplained loss of appetite
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Palpitations
Metastatic symptoms
There may be symptoms attributed to distant metastasis:
- Lungs - dyspnea, cough with blood-stained sputum, persistent pain or discomfort in the chest
- Liver - abdominal pain, swelling in hands/feet, itchiness, jaundice, dark-colored urine
- Bones - pain, fractures
- Brain/spinal cord - pain, confusion, memory loss, headache, blurred or double vision, difficulty with speech, difficulty with movement or seizures