University of Calgary

Symptoms

Are There Symptoms?

  • NOT USUALLY! Colon cancer usually develops over a long time without causing any symptoms. This is why everybody over the age of 50 should be tested.
  • If symptoms appear, they may be:
    • a change in bowel habits (diarrhea, constipation or narrower than normal stool),
    • blood in stool or rectal bleeding,
    • new abdominal pain
    • unexplained weight loss.
  • If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor right away. They may be a sign of colon cancer, or they may mean something else.

 

Other Causes of Symptoms

  • Other than colon cancer and polyps, some other causes of blood in the stool may include:
    • ulcers
    • hemorrhoids
    • diverticulosis (tiny pouches that form at weak spots in the colon wall)
    • inflammatory bowel disease.

 

  • Remember, if you have any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor right away. They may be a sign of colon cancer, or they may mean something else.
NEXT: When to Contact Your Doctor


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