Don’t overlook minor symptoms because they could be a sign of ?colon cancer?
A patient came to see the doctor with symptoms similar to colitis, with no history of serious illness, experiencing severe diarrhea for 1 week. Upon examination using colonoscopy (Colonoscopy), a mass was found in the colon. The test results showed it was colon cancer. Fortunately, surgery was performed in time. Currently, the patient is cancer-free and able to live a normal life.
Ms. Sirilak? Rung-in, age 49 years old said that she is from a rural area, physically healthy, with no underlying diseases and no history of serious illness. However, recently she had severe diarrhea for 1 week, with mucus mixed with a lot of blood in the stool. She did not suspect anything serious and thought it was probably from the food she ate. She saw a doctor in her hometown and was given antibiotics, but the symptoms did not improve. She then decided to see a doctor at Phyathai Hospital 2 for a detailed examination with colonoscopy. It was found that there was a mass in the colon. The doctor advised her to prepare for immediate surgery. After the surgery, she was safe and went for a thorough check-up again, which showed no cancer. She feels that deciding to have surgery was the right choice and wants her case to be a warning to others not to overlook minor symptoms because they could lead to advanced cancer.
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Dr. Jirawat Silasuwan, Gastroenterologist, Phyathai International Hospital the treating physician, said that when Ms. Sirilak first came for examination, she had already received initial treatment but the symptoms did not improve. Therefore, a more detailed examination was done with X-rays and colonoscopy, which revealed a mass in the colon indicative of colon cancer. He coordinated with Dr. Theerasanti Tantitemit, a colorectal cancer surgeon, to join the treatment. They agreed that the fastest and most effective treatment was surgery. After planning the treatment and with the patient’s cooperation, the surgery was successful. Currently, the patient is healthy and fully recovered. He wants to remind the public that being healthy, having no family history of cancer, or being young does not guarantee safety from this disease. Nowadays, many factors affect the body, such as stress, lifestyle, diet, and sleep. The best prevention is annual health check-ups and continuous observation of symptoms and the body. If any abnormal symptoms are found, one should promptly see a doctor and not ignore them until it is too late. The earlier the detection, the faster the treatment and the higher the chance of recovery.