Many rectal cancers can be seen in the early stages of the disease. Early rectal cancer often has signs and symptoms that prompt a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, some rectal cancers do not cause symptoms until they reach an advanced stage.
Other rectal cancers can cause symptoms other than cancer. This may delay their diagnosis.
Rectal cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the opening of the rectum (also called the anus). This unusual form of cancer goes unnoticed by almost everyone due to the location of the affected area. Most people who experience symptoms of rectal cancer do not discuss it with their doctor or people they know because of embarrassment.
The probability of early detection of rectal cancer depends on the location and type of the tumor. Cancers that start in the upper part of the rectum are less likely to cause symptoms and can be detected early. Rectal melanoma spreads earlier than other cancers, making early diagnosis difficult.
Rectal cancer should not be confused with colon cancer. Colon cancer affects the colon and rectum, but only the first part of the rectum.
Each year, more than 8,000 Americans are diagnosed with rectal cancer. Of these, 1,000 are expected to die. According to statistics, one out of four people with rectal disease is diagnosed after it has spread to the lymph nodes, and one out of ten people has spread to other organs.
Although rectal cancer is not as common as other types of cancer, such as colon, rectal, or rectal cancer, the number of patients with this disease has increased rapidly in the last decade.
Symptoms of rectal cancer!
It is very difficult to detect rectal cancer in its early stages because most of the symptoms do not appear during this period. However, as the cancer progresses, it often causes a variety of symptoms, including:
Rectal bleeding
Itching in the rectum
Lump or mass at the opening of the rectum
Rectal pain and feeling of fullness
Stool stricture or other changes in bowel movements
Abnormal discharge from the anus
Swollen lymph nodes in the rectum or groin
Most of these symptoms are caused by benign (non-malignant) conditions such as hemorrhoids, rectal fissures, and rectal fissures. However, if you have any of these symptoms, it’s important to see your doctor so the cause can be found and treated if necessary.
In most cases, the cause of rectal cancer remains unknown, but there are many factors that increase the risk of rectal cancer, such as frequent irritation of the anus, smoking, and a weakened immune system. People over the age of 60 are at the highest risk of developing rectal cancer. 80 percent of the disease was found in people belonging to this category.
Men under the age of 35 have a higher risk of developing this rare disease than women in the same age group. However, after the age of 50, women are at risk of developing rectal cancer.
How to detect rectal cancer early?
Detecting rectal cancer at an early stage is crucial to its success. There are many procedures that can be used to detect the presence of rectal cancer. Here are some of them:
Digital rectal exam ??
The doctor will first look at the outside of the anus to find out where the hemorrhoids or fissures are. Next, he puts on latex gloves and inserts his lubricated fingers into the rectum, looking for lumps or other abnormalities.
Anoscopy??
This involves inserting a small tube called an anoscope a few inches into the anus, where your doctor can determine if you have rectal fissures, polyps, hemorrhoids, infections, or tumors. The doctor will only perform this procedure if a digital rectal exam detects something abnormal.
Biopsies, ultrasounds, X-rays, CT, MRI, PET scans?
These are all procedures that can be used to detect the presence of rectal cancer. However, all these procedures are surrounded by numerous research results that show their spread or cause.
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