Detecting colorectal cancer from 2 often-overlooked signs

From vietnam.vn/en

Changes in bowel habits and bloating are two easily overlooked signs of colorectal cancer. Doctors warn against being complacent, even if blood and stool tests are normal

Many people believe that only bloody stools or a positive occult blood test should raise concerns about colorectal cancer. However, according to Dr. Lin Feng-Nian, a hepatobiliary and digestive specialist in Taiwan ( China ), clinical practice shows that this is not entirely true. Even if initial screening tests are normal, patients can still have cancer if suspicious signs appear.

                                               Changes in bowel movements can be a sign of colorectal cancer. Photo: Magnific

Stage 3 colorectal cancer detected despite normal test results

According to ET Today, Dr. Lam Phong Nien said he once treated a male patient who had noticeable changes in bowel habits and frequently experienced bloating. Initially, the patient was prescribed blood tests to check for cancer markers and tests for occult blood in stool. Notably, both results were within normal limits.

Despite this, the doctor suspected an abnormality and recommended a colonoscopy. However, the patient was frightened and adamantly refused the colonoscopy as well as other advanced tests such as CT scans.

After much encouragement and persuasion from the doctors and family, the patient finally agreed to undergo a colonoscopy. As soon as the endoscope was inserted into the colon, the doctors discovered a tumour, and a subsequent biopsy confirmed that the patient had stage 3 colorectal cancer.

According to Dr. Lam, this is not an uncommon case. Many people are complacent because initial tests are normal or they are afraid of endoscopy, so they delay getting checked, causing the disease to only be detected at a late stage.

According to Dr. Lin Feng-Nian, colorectal cancer used to mainly affect older adults, but the age of onset is now significantly decreasing. He mentioned that he recently diagnosed a 21-year-old patient with late-stage colorectal cancer. While working in Yilan (Taiwan), he also treated a 29-year-old patient in the late stage.

Notably, the youngest patient he had ever treated was only 18 years old. Furthermore, there is an increasing number of stage 2 or stage 3 colorectal cancer cases among patients aged 25-26 in clinical practice.

Two risk groups require special attention

Dr. Lam Phong Nien believes there are two groups of people who need to proactively get early colorectal cancer screening.

- Individuals with a family history of colorectal cancer: This group should have their first colonoscopy around age 40, or even earlier, around age 30 if the risk is high or there are many relatives with the disease.

- Individuals exhibiting warning signs: These include bloody stools, a persistent urge to defecate, changes in bowel habits, chronic diarrhoea, or unexplained bloating. When these symptoms appear, patients should consult a gastroenterologist for evaluation and should not rely solely on blood or stool test results.

According to Dr. Lam, if a colonoscopy reveals polyps or adenomas, the doctor will schedule a follow-up appointment that is appropriate for each individual. The follow-up time will depend on many factors such as the extent of polyp damage, the quality of colon cleansing before the colonoscopy, the number of polyps, and their location.

He emphasized that colonoscopy remains a highly valuable method for the early detection of colorectal cancer and precancerous lesions. Therefore, individuals with risk factors or abnormal symptoms should not delay or refuse colonoscopy simply due to fear or anxiety about pain, as early detection can significantly increase the chances of successful treatment.

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