4 earliest signs of colon cancer

New research has found that unexplained persistent diarrhea, anemia, abdominal pain and blood-stained stools could be early symptoms of colon cancer.

The study, conducted by the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute on May 4.

Experts surveyed the health records of more than 5,000 cancer patients. The goal was to find early warning symptoms of colon cancer - a disease that has tended to increase in young people in recent years.

Research finds four new signs of colorectal cancer including: abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, persistent diarrhea and iron deficiency anemia.

Volunteers with cancer had at least one symptom, with onset as early as two years before diagnosis. The risk of cancer increased as other symptoms appeared.

However, doctors usually only recommend endoscopy after the age of 45. Thus, many people have been incubating the disease for a long time before they see a doctor and are diagnosed. Meanwhile, this is a disease that can be treated if detected early.

Illustration of a colorectal cancer tumor. Photo: Anatomy Image — Illustration of colon cancer tumor. Photo: *Anatomy Image*

"Patients sometimes find it difficult to talk about or feel embarrassed about it. But the reality is that everyone experiences the same conditions. It's important to understand what's normal and what's abnormal," says Matthew Kalady, MD, director of colon and rectal surgery at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The study highlights a concerning problem among young people, said Yin Cao, an associate professor of surgery in the department of public health at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He said young people need to be more aware of the symptoms of the disease. Conditions like stomach pain and diarrhea are normal when they occur infrequently and for short periods of time. If you experience symptoms that last longer than a week without a clear cause, you should contact your doctor.

According to the American Cancer Society, the rate of colon cancer in people under 55 doubled from 1995 to 2019, from 11% to 20%.

Thuc Linh (According to NBC News )

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