Rectal cancer is a common malignant tumor of the digestive tract, and the incidence is increasing year by year, which seriously threatens people's health.
The early symptoms of rectal cancer are often not obvious and are easily overlooked or misdiagnosed as other diseases, such as hemorrhoids, enteritis, etc. If delayed, rectal cancer can progress to an advanced stage, with a much lower rate and even life-threatening.
Therefore, we should pay attention to the changes in our body in time, understand the high-risk factors and preventive measures for rectal cancer, and detect and improve rectal cancer as soon as possible.
Hemorrhoids and rectal cancer are two common anorectal diseases, although they are similar in some symptoms, such as bleeding and abdominal discomfort, but there are significant differences in nature, symptom presentation and method.
1. Similarities
Both hemorrhoids and rectal cancer can cause bleeding, which is the most common similar symptom of both diseases. In addition, patients may experience abdominal discomfort and changes in bowel habits.
These common symptoms can cause confusion between the two conditions, so it is important to seek medical attention for a detailed examination in a timely manner to avoid delays** or misdiagnosis.
2. Differences
1) Essential differences: Hemorrhoids are soft veins formed by the dilation and varicose formation of the venous plexus near the tooth line of the anal canal, which is a vascular lesion.
In contrast, rectal cancer refers to a malignant tumor in the rectal mucosa or colonic mucosa and is a proliferative lesion.
2) The occurrence of hemorrhoids is usually related to lifestyle factors such as long-term constipation, sitting for a long time, and improper diet.
The occurrence of rectal cancer may be related to genetic factors, unhealthy dietary habits (such as high-fat, low-fiber diet), chronic inflammatory bowel disease and other factors.
3) Symptoms: The typical symptoms of hemorrhoids include blood in the stool (bright red), *pain, **lump prolapse, **itching and **water, etc., bloody stool usually occurs after stool, and the amount of blood is small.
Symptoms of rectal cancer may include blood in the stool (dark red or black), difficulty in defecation, abdominal pain and discomfort, weight loss, etc., and the blood in the stool may be mixed with the stool, and the blood may be large.
Although hemorrhoids and rectal cancer may be similar in some symptoms, their differences in essence and symptom presentation determine that their diagnosis and strategies must be very different.
According to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and various research centers, hemorrhoids themselves are not directly listed as risk factors for bowel cancer.
However, some studies suggest that the presence of hemorrhoids may indirectly increase the long-term risk of colorectal and prostate cancer.
Although hemorrhoids are not malignant in themselves, the association with bowel cancer lies in the symptoms it causes, which may mask early warning signs of more serious disease.
Studies have shown that patients with hemorrhoids have a slightly higher incidence of colon cancer than the normal population. A possible explanation for this phenomenon is that when patients with hemorrhoids experience symptoms such as blood in the stool, they often blame it on the hemorrhoids rather than other possible causes, delaying medical visits and further investigations.
This delay can lead to early diagnosis and reduced chances of serious diseases such as colon cancer, which in turn affects the patient's prognosis.
This underscores the importance of a thorough medical examination in the event of possible hemorrhoidal symptoms such as blood in the stool. Your doctor will usually recommend a colonoscopy or other tests to rule out colon cancer or other bowel conditions.
In addition, it also reminds people with hemorrhoids that they should take preventive measures in their daily lives, such as improving their eating habits, increasing their intake of dietary fiber, maintaining adequate hydration, avoiding sitting and standing for long periods of time, and having regular medical check-ups, especially for individuals with symptoms such as blood in the stool, to seek medical attention in time so as not to overlook potential serious health problems.
As the rectum plays an important role in the digestive system, the development of rectal cancer can directly affect bowel function, leading to a range of bowel movement-related symptoms.
1. Defecation
As the tumor grows, rectal cancer causes the rectum lumen to narrow, as the increased volume of the tumour occupies the intestinal lumen space, narrowing the passage that would otherwise be used for food debris passage.
This narrowing of the intestinal lumen not only affects the shape of the stool, but can also cause difficulty and discomfort during bowel movements. Patients may experience thinning of the stool because the narrowed intestinal lumen only allows a smaller volume of stool to pass through.
In addition to thinning stools, patients may also experience deformation of stools, which is related to uneven pressure on the inside of the intestines, causing the stool to change shape as it passes through the stricture.
Constipation and diarrhea are also common symptoms in patients with rectal cancer. Constipation is usually caused by a tumor blocking the intestinal motility that slows down the bowel movements, causing the stool to stay in the intestine for too long and the water to be absorbed excessively.
Conversely, diarrhea may be caused by the body's attempt to bypass the blockage by increasing intestinal motility, or by inflammation caused by a tumor, which reduces the intestinal tract's ability to absorb water. Both of these conditions can cause great inconvenience and pain to the patient.
Constipation is a common complaint in patients with rectal cancer, not only because of the narrowing of the intestinal lumen, but also because of the local pain and discomfort caused by the tumor.
During bowel movements, the pressure on the area where the tumor is located increases, which may lead to increased pain, making bowel movements more difficult.
2. Blood in the stool
Erosion, ulceration, necrosis or infection of the rectal mucosa are common pathological changes in rectal cancer, which not only damage the structure and function of the rectum, but also cause some obvious clinical symptoms, such as blood in the stool, pus and mucus in the stool.
Blood in the stool is one of the most common symptoms in patients with rectal cancer, and it directly reflects the degree of damage to the rectal mucosa caused by the tumor. The color of the bloody stool may be bright red, dark red or black, depending on the location and extent of the bleeding.
If the bleeding occurs near the rectum or **, the blood may remain bright red; However, if the bleeding originates closer to the upper part of the digestive tract, the blood may change color to dark red or black when it mixes with the digestive juices.
The presence of pus, blood, and mucus usually indicates ulceration or infection of the rectal mucosa.
Pus and blood stools contain pus cells and blood, and are a direct manifestation of tumor infection and inflammatory response; Mucus stools are formed when the tumor destroys the rectal mucosa, resulting in increased mucus secretion.
These symptoms not only cause physical pain and discomfort to patients, but can also be a warning sign of rectal cancer progression.
Therefore, once there are abnormal symptoms such as blood in the stool, pus and blood in the stool, or mucus stool, you should immediately seek medical attention for a detailed examination so that rectal cancer or other possible diseases can be detected in time.
Diagnosis of rectal cancer is usually confirmed by colonoscopy and biopsy (biopsy), which can help doctors assess the size, location and degree of malignancy of the tumor, as well as the presence of lesions such as erosions, ulcers or necrosis.
In addition, imaging tests such as CT scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are also important tools to assess the spread of rectal cancer.
3. Symptoms of rectal irritation
Rectal cancer originates in the lining or mucosal layer of the rectum. As the tumour grows, it not only affects the structure and function of the rectum, but also triggers a range of irritating symptoms that have a profound impact on the patient's daily life.
The symptoms of rectal irritation caused by rectal cancer mainly include tenesmus, frequent bowel movements, incomplete bowel movements and falling sensations, which are the results of cancer stimulating rectal nerves and muscles.
Tenesmus refers to the feeling that the patient has a strong need to have a bowel movement, but still feels uncomfortable after defecation that there is a substance in the rectum that cannot be excreted.
This sensation is usually due to the tumor taking up space in the rectum, causing increased pressure inside the rectum and stimulating nerve reflexes to make the patient feel the need to have a bowel movement.
Frequent bowel movements are caused by the presence of tumors that irritate the rectal wall, making the rectum less tolerant of storing stool, and patients will frequently feel the need to defecate even if the amount of stool is not large.
Incomplete defecation is the feeling that the patient still has residual stool left in the rectum after defecation. This is because the tumor affects the normal peristalsis function of the rectum, resulting in incomplete expulsion of stool.
*Falling sensation refers to the feeling that the patient feels ** or that the rectum is sagging or that something is about to fall off, which is usually related to the physical compression of the surrounding tissues due to the increased size of the tumor.
The appearance of these symptoms, especially when they appear suddenly or progressively worsen, should cause a high level of alertness, and they can be an early warning sign of rectal cancer or other rectal diseases.
4. Abdominal pain, abdominal distension, bowel sounds
As the disease progresses, rectal cancer can lead to a range of serious complications, including rectal obstruction and perforation, both of which can cause symptoms such as acute abdominal pain, bloating, hyperbowel sounds, nausea, vomiting, and no gas or bowel movements.
These symptoms not only cause great physical discomfort to the patient, but can also be life-threatening and therefore require urgency**.
Rectal obstruction is usually caused by the growth of a cancer that blocks the rectal passage, preventing food debris and stool from passing through properly. This blockage can cause abdominal pain, bloating, and hyperbowel sounds, and as the condition worsens, patients may experience nausea and vomiting.
Rectal obstruction can not only cause dysfunction of the digestive system, but can also cause electrolyte imbalance and dehydration, posing a serious threat to the patient's health.
Rectal perforation is when the cancer invades the rectal wall until it penetrates, causing the intestinal contents to leak into the abdominal cavity, which can lead to peritonitis, a medical emergency that requires urgent medical intervention.
Symptoms of rectal perforation include sudden, severe abdominal pain, tension in the abdominal muscles, high fever, and vomiting. If left untimely**, it can lead to sepsis and shock, which can be life-threatening.
5. Metastasized, other symptoms
As the disease progresses, bowel cancer not only affects the intestine itself, but may also invade surrounding tissues and organs, and even metastasize to distant sites, causing a range of related symptoms. The severity and variety of these symptoms depend on the site of invasion and metastasis of bowel cancer.
When bowel cancer invades the bladder, urethra, prostate or **, patients may experience urinary tract irritation symptoms, such as frequent urination, urgency, painful urination, etc., as well as blood in the urine.
In some cases, the tumour may penetrate the wall between the intestine and the urethra or **, forming a urethrorectal fistula or **rectal fistula, resulting in the leakage of urine or feces from abnormal channels, which will not only cause great physical discomfort to the patient, but also seriously affect their quality of life.
If bowel cancer invades nerve structures such as the sacral plexus or sciatic nerve, patients may experience pain and numbness in the sacrum, will**, or lower extremities. These symptoms are due to compression or destruction of nerves by the tumor and may worsen as the disease progresses.
Distant metastases of bowel cancer are common manifestations of advanced bowel cancer, and the most common sites of metastasis include the liver, lungs, and bones.
Liver metastases may cause symptoms such as pain, jaundice, and ascites in the liver area; Pulmonary metastases may cause respiratory symptoms such as cough and dyspnea; Bone metastases, on the other hand, can cause bone pain, especially in the back, lower back, or pelvic area.
Once the above symptoms appear, patients should seek medical attention immediately and confirm the diagnosis through colonoscopy, imaging tests and biochemical tests. Early detection and improvement of bowel cancer can effectively improve the survival rate and quality of life of patients.