What are the symptoms of rectal cancer

Rectal cancer refers to cancer between the dentate line and the junction of the rectum and sigmoid colon. It is one of the most common malignant tumors in the digestive tract. Rectal cancer is located low and can be easily diagnosed by rectal examination and sigmoidoscopy. However, due to its deep location in the pelvic cavity and complex anatomical relationships, it is not easy to perform a thorough surgery and the recurrence rate after surgery is high. Today, let's talk about the symptoms of rectal cancer.

The cause of rectal cancer is still unclear. Its onset is related to social environment, eating habits, genetic factors, etc. Rectal polyps are also a high-risk factor for rectal cancer. It is generally recognized that excessive intake of animal fat and protein and insufficient intake of dietary fiber are high-risk factors for rectal cancer.

Clinical manifestations

1. Most early rectal cancers are asymptomatic.

2. Rectal cancer growth

When it reaches a certain level, changes in bowel habits, bloody stools, bloody stools, tenesmus, constipation, diarrhea, etc. will appear.

3. Stool

It gradually becomes thinner, and in the late stage there are defecation obstruction, weight loss and even cachexia.

4. Tumor

When the bladder, urethra, vagina and other surrounding organs are invaded, symptoms of urinary tract irritation, fecal discharge from the vagina, pain in the sacrum and perineum, and lower limb edema may occur.

Generally, patients with bloody stools should be highly alert in clinical practice and should not be hastily diagnosed as "dysentery" or "internal hemorrhoids". Further examination is necessary to rule out the possibility of cancer. For the early diagnosis of rectal cancer, it is important to attach importance to the application of rectal digital examination, proctoscopy or sigmoidoscopy. Pathological diagnosis can be obtained through microscopic examination.