Did you know that one of the early symptoms of “colon cancer” starts with alternating constipation and diarrhea without any apparent cause, even though you haven’t eaten foods that typically cause diarrhea? Some people regularly eat fruits and vegetables but still experience constipation, or some may have chronic constipation. If you have these symptoms, you need to find the real cause before it’s too late.
Check initial symptoms to be sure
- Try to regularly observe your eating habits, such as whether you have been drinking too little water, eating too much starch or meat which is hard to digest, sitting still for too long, or taking certain medications that can cause constipation. Try changing your habits to eat foods that improve digestion, such as papaya, ripe banana, prunes, pineapple, basil seeds, etc., and see if the constipation improves. If you have diarrhea, try to observe the cause, such as eating undercooked or raw food, eating overly spicy food, or some people may be allergic to certain foods like milk, which can cause diarrhea.
- If you have changed your habits or know the cause but still experience alternating constipation and diarrhea continuously for several weeks, it is recommended to see a doctor to find the real cause. This way, you can know early what is really wrong and should not let these symptoms persist for a long time, especially to reduce the risk of “colon cancer” which starts with these symptoms.
Small warning signs before colon cancer
These various symptoms are just small signs but are the beginning of colon cancer that many people overlook. Let’s see what they are.
- Abnormal bowel movements, such as alternating constipation and diarrhea, coming and going without a known cause.
- Most people with colon cancer dislike eating fruits and vegetables but prefer high-fat foods and meat, fast food, fried, grilled, or foods that are not very beneficial to the body.
- Some people have irritable bowel syndrome or experience bloating and indigestion along with unusual dull lower abdominal pain.
- Eating the same amount of food but losing weight, which definitely indicates some abnormality.
- Observe when having bowel movements; most often, mucus mixed with blood is present.
- Some may have bleeding in the digestive tract as well.
- Feeling a lump when pressing the lower abdomen.
- Rarely passing gas.
- Feeling incomplete bowel evacuation.
If you check and find that you have many of these symptoms, it is recommended not to neglect these small issues. Many people who start with colon cancer, if detected early, can still be cured. You just need to regularly observe yourself.
Treatment options for “colon cancer”
Managing colon cancer is similar to managing other cancers, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. However, the choice of method depends on the doctor’s diagnosis and the patient’s stage. Colon cancer can be divided into 4 stages:
- Stage 1: Cancer is only within the intestinal wall.
- Stage 2: Cancer has spread outside the intestinal wall to nearby areas.
- Stage 3: Cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.
- Stage 4: Cancer has spread to various organs of the body.
Chemotherapy can destroy cancer cells and inhibit their division, helping to control the spread of cancer cells to other parts. However, chemotherapy is effective mainly in the early stages and may have side effects such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and hair loss, but these are only in a minority of cases.
Radiation therapy or radiotherapy also inhibits and destroys cancer cells similarly to chemotherapy.
Surgery is another option for managing colon cancer. It involves removing the cancerous part of the intestine along with the blood vessels supplying the cancer cells to prevent growth and spread. It also includes removing parts of the intestine suspected to have cancer cells to reduce the chance of recurrence. Nowadays, colon cancer surgery is no longer frightening and does not require a long 4-5 cm abdominal incision. Instead, it uses small incisions of only 0.5-1 cm, known as Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS).
This treatment allows patients to return to daily life faster because the wounds are small, recovery is quick, and blood loss is minimal. During surgery, high-magnification cameras provide clear views of the cancer location, reducing postoperative complications. Therefore, minimally invasive surgery is another option for managing colon cancer. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can also treat cancer but may serve as adjuncts to help achieve a cure.
