Colorectal carcinoma/symptomatology

The clinical picture of the colorectal carcinoma depends on its location in the colon and the mode of growth, so it can be very diverse.

The most prominent manifestation is the bowel obstruction when the tumor mass fills the entire intestinal lumen - clinically the patient comes with ileus. More common and less clinically significant manifestations of the intestinal obturation may be excessive flatulence, a change in defecation stereotype , colicky pain or subileous condition. It is not uncommon for a tumor to be discovered with ileal complications.

Another clinically significant manifestation is the  tumor bleeding into GIT, either microscopic or macroscopic. The patient may not even notice the microscopic bleeding, so we use it as a screening test fecal occult blood test (FOBT), which detects even small amounts of blood in the stool. If the bleeding is more severe or prolonged, the patient may have symptoms of anemia.

 Acute peritonitis caused by tumor perforation is among the rarer manifestations of the disease, as is the penetration of the tumor into the environment and the development of tactile resistance.

A specific symptom of the CR-CA occurring in the rectal region is tenesmus.

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