Symptoms of colon cancer may not be present or be minimal and overlooked until it becomes more severe.
Blood in stool means cancer.
However i would imagine that most people at some point or another nearly 100 experience bright red blood either mixed in or with bowel movements and or on the toilet paper.
Cancers can bleed but so can a bunch of other things like ulcers hemorrhoids infections or sores.
No matter what the cause blood in your stool needs to be checked out by a doctor.
A positive test can mean other conditions however.
Occult means you do not know there is blood in the stool i e you cannot see bright red recognizable blood like you might see if you had bleeding from hemorrhoids.
Colon cancer may lead to more significant bleeding or blood intermixed amongst stools the actual appearance of the blood is the same meaning it s the same shade of red whether it s from a bleeding hemorrhoid or a cancerous tumor in the lower colon.
Cancer screening tests for colon cancer thus are important in individuals 50 and older.
Colon cancer symptoms blood in the stool.
Typically occult blood is passed in such small amounts that it can be detected only through the chemicals used in a fecal occult blood test.
Occult blood in the stool may indicate colon cancer or polyps in the colon or rectum though not all cancers or polyps bleed.
The fecal occult blood test fobt is a lab test used to check stool samples for hidden occult blood.
Changes in bowel habits.
Cancer of the colon and rectum can exhibit itself in several ways.
As far as how often or what percentage of cases colon cancer presents with noticeable blood in the stool dr.
It s not as though a certain shade or red means it must be colon cancer.
Inflammation is associated with most of the more common causes of death including cancer heart disease.
Testing for fecal occult blood is commonly used as a cancer screen for colon cancer.
If you have any of these symptoms seek immediate medical help.
You may notice obvious blood the stool or darker colored bowel movements which may indicate that.
Black says i don t think i can quote statistics.
