Differential diagnosis of rectal cancer

Health is everyone's wealth, and everyone desires to have a healthy body. However, there are still many diseases that will affect our health and even take our lives. Rectal cancer is a terrible nightmare. So, how to differentiate and diagnose rectal cancer? Let me explain it to you below.

1. The differential diagnosis of colon cancer is mainly from inflammatory diseases of the colon, such as intestinal tuberculosis, schistosomiasis, granuloma, amebic granuloma, ulcerative colitis and colon polyposis, etc. The key points of clinical differentiation are the duration of the disease, parasites in stool examination, the morphology and range of lesions found in barium enema examination, etc. The most reliable differentiation is through colonoscopy and biopsy.

Periappendiceal abscess may be misdiagnosed as cecal cancer (colon cancer), but the blood count of this disease shows increased white bowel movement and neutrophils, without cachexia such as anemia and emaciation. A barium enema examination can confirm the diagnosis.

2. Rectal cancer is often misdiagnosed as hemorrhoids, bacterial dysentery, chronic colitis, etc. The misdiagnosis rate is as high as 60% to 80%, and the main reason is that the necessary examinations are not carried out, especially digital rectal examination and proctoscopy.

3. Other colon tumors such as colorectal carcinoids are asymptomatic when the tumor is small, but may rupture when the tumor grows larger, and symptoms very similar to those of colon adenocarcinoma may appear; malignant lymphomas originating in the colon have diverse lesion morphologies and are often difficult to distinguish from colon cancer. Tissue smear biopsy should be performed to differentiate them.

The first symptom of a tumor outside the rectal mucosa is rare, and most cases are discovered through symptoms in the rectal perineum. These symptoms are very similar to those of rectal cancer, so if the results are simply based on digital examination, they are often confused with rectal cancer, especially when the tumor breaks through the rectal mucosa. A comprehensive medical history is helpful for diagnosis. Intracavitary B-ultrasound can determine the size and range of the tumor, and is also helpful in determining the source of the tumor.

For larger masses or tumors originating from the sacrum, CT or MRI can be used to understand the tumor's space occupation and destruction. Some tumors come from the metastasis of gastrointestinal tumors, and attention should be paid to finding the primary lesion, such as gastroscopy, barium meal, etc. A biopsy of the mass is the only means of diagnosis. The biopsy should be performed under good anesthesia, relax the anal sphincter, cut the mucosal layer, and remove the mass tissue under bright vision. If a biopsy fails, it can be repeated multiple times, and most cases can be confirmed.

Many patients with rectal cancer only have symptoms of bloody stools in the early stages of the disease, so it is easy to be ignored. Understanding the diagnosis method of rectal cancer can allow us to diagnose the disease as soon as possible, which can help patients control the development of rectal cancer in time, avoid worsening of the disease, and prevent tragedies from happening.