Diagnosing the Signs of Colon Cancer

Once you understand the risk factors of colon cancer (mainly diet and family history) and are alert to the various colon cancer symptoms, you may be interested in knowing how professionals actually perform evaluations, and verify the signs of colon cancer. 

First is a physical test for signs of colon cancer.  Your doctor will likely complete a physical exam and depress your stomach area.  Incidentally, the physical test infrequently shows any problems, although palpable abdominal masses may be signs of colon cancer.  A rectal examination may reveal a mass in patients with rectal cancer, but is not one of the signs of colon cancer.
Some commonly employed imaging tests used to diagnose signs of colon cancer are:

• Colonoscopy
• Sigmoidoscopy

Note: Only colonoscopy can provide a view of the entire colon.

Signs of Colon Cancer

A fecal occult blood test (FOBT) examines stool for blood cells. A positive FOBT points to signs of colon cancer.  A drawback of this test is it is frequently negative in patients who do have colon cancer.  For this reason, a FOBT must be performed in conjunction with a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy.  It is also necessary to note that although it can be one of the signs of colon cancer, a positive FOBT does not necessarily mean you have cancer.

Anemia is one of the other signs of colon cancer.  Low total blood count may reveal signs of anemia with low iron levels.  Once again, anemia is not always indicative of colon cancer.
If your doctor discovers that you do have colorectal cancer, supplementary tests will be done to see if the cancer has spread. This is called staging.  These stages are important as they help determine treatment.  The stages are as follows:

• Stage 0: Very early cancer on the innermost layer of the intestine
• Stage I: Cancer is in the inner layers of the colon
• Stage II: Cancer has spread through the muscle wall of the colon
• Stage III: Cancer has spread to the lymph nodes

• Stage IV: Cancer that has spread to other organs

Once again, always note that symptoms and signs of colon cancer do not always indicate positive results for cancer – but early recognition is always the best chance to beat it.