Can someone that has a knowledge of Rectal Cancer tell me the symptoms? Also, is it a slow-growing cancer? Can someone have a clear colonoscopy, and get it within 3 years?

Thanks,

Colleendol

In my case;

First my mother had colon cancer and I subsequently had a colonoscopy that was clear, no polyps.
I was told to have another one in a few years. I didn't.
About five years after my colonoscopy I started having red blood in my stool. No problem I thought, I had had hemmerhoids before. It was just before Christmas and things were hectic. It was not until after New Year's Day that I noticed that the Prep H that I had been using was having no effect on the blood and in fact the amount of blood was getting greater.I made a Dr.'s appt.

The dr. did a rectal exam, I expected, and i think he expected, that it would be internal hemmerhoids. Instead, as he was feeling around in there he uttered a quiet, "oh", and removed his hand. He quickly told me that he felt something unusual and wanted to see if the surgeon in the office next door was still around(I was his last patient that day) and that he would be back in a minute or so. He came back to say that the surgeon was gone for the day. He said that what he felt was not a hemmerhoid. They are smooth bumps and what he felt was a rougher texture. "I'm not saying it is cancer but the surgeon needs to have a look at it" are close to, if not his exact words.

I had no pain. I did notice a difficulty defecation. I could go but did not feel empty afterward and the stool was flattened. The tumour was obstructing the movement of stool out of the rectum.

Long story short, I had waited too long for that next colonoscopy. I have a permanent colostomy pouch now.

If you have any reason to worry about colon cancer such as a family member that has had it, you should have a colonoscopy one year after one in which there were polyps removed and three years after a clear one. If that one is also clear then you can go to every four or five years.

Can someone that has a knowledge of Rectal Cancer tell me the symptoms? Thanks,

Colleendol

Hi collendol

Welcome to this great board. My husband has rectal cancer stage iv, his symptoms were

Fatigue
Loss of appetite
Bleeding from the rectum
Feeling of having to empty his bowels very often.

Unfortunately, he didn't do anything about his symptoms and it was only when we went on a motoring holiday to New Zealand and spent a lot of time together that I noticed his symptoms and nagged him till he went to the doctor on our return.

I hope the above symptoms are helpful to you.

maria_z :wave:

Hi colleendol

Symptoms can vary quite a bit but in "many" cases the cancer can be slow growing.

From experience my husbands symptoms started out as bleeding and was treated for hemmoroids (which he did have) in about 2001. in 2002 he started losing weight in the summer which we put down to increased exercise, going for long bike rides, etc and of course he cut quite a trim figure. By October-ish he started having intermittent diarhea and saw his doc again who treated him for a few weeks but when it didnt go away he referred him to a specialist consultant. Now here in the UK it can take about 12 weeks to see one unless you are a high risk patient displaying certain symptoms in which case they will fast track you within 2 weeks. Unfortunately for husband he was on the slow list. He kept losing weight and by Chistmas was looking really ill. He also started having problems with BMs.....wanting to go but nothing happened. At this point the returned to his doctor in the New Year who got him into the consultants office some time early Feb. By April he had lost about 30% of his body weight and finally diagnosed with bowel cancer stage 4. (some of the time scales might be a bit wrong ..... time dims the memory).
Although cancers may be slow growing in that you may live with a polyp for 5 years until it turns malignant, they may become aggressive in how they spread and affect the body.

My mums symptoms were intermittant constipation and diarhea, distended tummy, probably bleeding. I think she had these type of things happen to her a lot through the years so she did not do anything about it when it started to get worse. She was also diagnosed early 2003 with stage 4 bowel cancer.

As jaydees suggests, you would do well to set up a program of colonoscopies and make sure you have them.

hope this helps
ktee

Thank you all for posting replys. I'm sorry you have to go through this awful disease. Let me tell you my symptoms:

I have no change in bowel movements/urgency/size/etc. I have only bleed 2 times in the last 6 months. The last time was Friday. It wasnt after a bowel movement, it was during the day. I have burning and stinging down there (hurts when I sit down). Prep H isnt helping. I was even looking for a rash (I'm alittle red), but my husband doesnt think that it look like one. Anyway, I do have external hemmorhoids. I can see them.

My questions are: how do you tell the difference betweeen internal hemmorhoids and cancer? If it was rectal cancer, would I be bleeding more often?

What type of doctor do I go to? I called my GI and asked if they treat hemmorhoids and the receptionist hesitated and acted like that wasnt their thing. Do I call a rectal sergion? Do I go to my GP?

I'm 42 - no history in my family. I had a colonoscopy 3 years ago.

Thank you very much!

HI,
I started off with bleeding also and my gp thought it was hameoroids also but sent me to a specialist just in case.. and it turned out it was bowel cancer, stage 2+, so I would definately go to your local gp and ask him/her to send you for a coloncoscpy. its the only way.
Goodluck and take care
Maz