In doing to some reading about Colon Cancer, I heard something about stools being ribbon like or narrow. Does anyone have any information about that, like what ribbon like means, trying to equate it to something.

Ok ,

normally the stool is sort of cylindrical ( a cross section would be a circle) in shape but if it is flattened out ( a cross section more like an long oval) it is said to be ribbon like. This happens because the tumour is growing on the inside of the rectum and squeezing the stool on one side as the stool moves past the tumour. Any large blockage in this area can cause it such as a large hemmerhoid.

Does that answer your question?

So if I have a flattened stool, it means I could have a tumour? I am only 18 years old. Also, how do you get a hemmerhoid?

i think they're may be other causes of flat stools besides a blockage. i have had somewhat flat stools for almost a year now and i've had both a sigmoidoscopy and a colonoscopy and neither showed any kind of blockage or anything like that, so there's obviously some other reason (maybe dietary?) in my case. but you should get it checked out just in case.

The term hemorrhoids refers to a condition in which the veins around the anus or lower rectum are swollen and inflamed. Hemorrhoids may result from straining to move stool. Other contributing factors include pregnancy, aging, chronic constipation or diarrhea, anal intercourse and excessive wiping after a bowel movement.

I would assume that there would be others causes of the anus not producing a cylindrical stool as well but I don't know them off hand.

At 18 you would be very young to have cancer but it is not at all unusual for a teen to develop hemerrhoids, even active people. George Brett , pro baseball player was sidelined once due to a particularily painful(and embarrasingly public) flare up during the 1980 World Series.

If this is bothering you and especially if you have any other symptoms such as blood or pain/itch you should have a doctor examine you. It is not pleasant but so what? You can fret about it for months or years or you can bite the bullet and get a professional opinion. Your choice, personally I would choose peace of mind. This is what doctors do for a living, they are not embarrassed by it, neither should you be embarrased to ask a doctor about it.