The "gastrointestinal cancer" unites a group of oncology pathologies that differ in location, aggressiveness (invasiveness), and severity of symptoms. The process develops slowly (cancer of the large intestine - for decades), but in the majority of the cases, it is found only at the later stages. The main reason is the reckless attitude to own health and ignorance of symptoms.

For example, symptoms of colon cancer often appear only after a tumor has grown or spread. Colon cancer that was found early was detected during screening testing. Screening can even prevent some colon cancers by finding and removing pre-cancerous growths called polyps.

growing gastrointestinal tumor

Common symptoms of bowel cancer

symptoms of bowel cancer

Stage 1-2 in most cases has no particular signs and usually detected accidentally during endoscopic examinations. That is why regular colonoscopy can help determine intestinal cancer at early stages.

At this stage, some symptoms may be observed but rarely recognized as pathology:

  • weakness, fatigue, weight loss;
  • signs of anemia;
  • intestinal bleeding;
  • changes in taste preferences and food intolerance;
  • low-grade fever.

Signs of an intestinal tumor at 3 stage

With the growth of the tumor the symptoms become more specific:

  • dark feces because of the blood in the stool ;
  • diarrhea;
  • rectal bleeding;
  • constipation;
  • pain in the abdominal wall;
  • nausea.

Symptoms of small intestine cancer

signs of an intestinal tumor

The small intestine is a more sensitive region than other parts of GI. Therefore its cancer manifests itself earlier (than colon cancer):

  • severe symptoms of dyspepsia: vomiting, nausea, gas, pain;
  • weight loss;
  • aphagia - it is impossible to force the patient to eat;
  • jaundice;
  • signs of pancreatitis;
  • unexplained weight loss;
  • episodes of abdominal pain that may be accompanied by severe nausea or vomiting;
  • dark feces.

Signs of cancer of the large intestine

Signs of the large intestine cancer

  • constant aching (dull) pain in the abdomen;
  • blood in the feces (unlike hemorrhoids when blood is just on the surface of the stool ) intestinal bleeding;
  • bloating;
  • pain in the anus.

Static pain accompanies the colon cancer.

Sometimes, people with gastrointestinal cancer do not have any of these signs. Or, the cause of a symptom may be another medical condition that is not cancer. If you are concerned about any changes you experience, please talk with your doctor.