Rectal cancer is a common malignant tumor in the gastrointestinal tract, second only to gastric cancer in incidence, and currently, it has jumped to the second place in the cancer ranking. Rectal cancer is a lifestyle disease, so diet and lifestyle are the bane of cancer. Due to the similarity of causes and symptoms, rectal cancer is often mentioned together with colon cancer. Rectal cancer does not have obvious symptoms in early stage, so to diagnose rectal cancer early, you need to understand common symptoms of rectal cancer and routine examination and diagnosis methods.
Early symptoms of rectal cancer: there are ten early signals that deserve high attention.
1.Sudden weight loss.
2.Anemia of unknown cause.
3.Abdominal distension, abdominal pain, indigestion and loss of appetite.
4.Lumps in abdomen.
5, blood in the stool or black stool.
6.Pus and blood in stool or mucus and blood in stool.
7.Change in stool habit, increase in frequency or diarrhea.
8, alternating diarrhea and constipation.
9.Changes in the shape of stool, thinning, flattening or with grooves.
10.Multiple polyps, or papillary adenomas are found.
What are the routine examination methods of rectal cancer? Generally speaking, the routine examination of rectal cancer mainly includes the following methods, which can be referred to.
Rectal finger examination: about 90% of rectal cancer, especially lower rectal cancer, can be detected by finger examination alone. However, some physicians still do not perform this routine examination for patients with suspected rectal cancer, resulting in delayed diagnosis and treatment. In fact, this diagnostic method is simple and feasible, and the size and infiltration degree of the lumps can be determined through rectal finger examination, whether they are fixed or not, and whether there are implanted lumps outside the intestinal wall or in the pelvic cavity, etc.
2.Fecal occult blood test: Both colon cancer and polyps can cause bleeding and be discharged through the intestinal tract and stool mixture. The results can be obtained by sending a small amount of stool specimen to hospital for examination, which is convenient and easy to perform.
3.Colonoscopy: After rectal finger examination, proctoscopy should be performed to assist diagnosis under direct vision, observe the shape of mass, upper and lower edges and distance from anal edge, and take mass tissue for pathological section to determine the nature of mass and its differentiation degree. If the cancer is located in the middle or upper rectum and cannot be touched by fingers, colonoscopy is a better method.
4.Barium enema: It is necessary to clean the intestine with laxative before examination. Contrast agent will be injected into the intestine during the examination, and the radiologist can detect colon cancer or larger polyps under X-ray.
5.CT and/or ultrasound of abdomen and/or pelvis, chest X-ray: these examinations are less significant than e-colonoscopy for qualitative diagnosis of colorectal cancer, but are extremely important for determining the stage of colorectal cancer.
6.Serum tumor markers: carcinoembryonic antigen has auxiliary value for the diagnosis of colorectal cancer, and also helps to judge the prognosis, determine the efficacy and monitor the recurrence.
7.Electron colonoscopy: it is the most effective method to confirm the diagnosis of colon polyps and tumors. However, colonoscopy is relatively painful and the doctor will recommend the use of sedative pain medication.
8.Positron emission tomography: It can detect small colorectal tumors which are not easy to be detected by other examination methods at an early stage and has a high diagnostic accuracy. The above tests can be applied flexibly according to different symptoms, and not all of them are necessary. In addition, it is also necessary to combine some of the urine and stool, blood and other tests. However, if abnormalities are found, electronic colonoscopy is eventually needed to confirm the diagnosis.
Here again, we remind the public that they must pay attention to the changes of physical condition in their daily life, and once they have discomfort or abnormal bowel movement and positive stool occult blood test, they must go to regular hospitals for examination in time to achieve early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment of rectal cancer, so as to ensure their health and live a healthy and happy life!