Does Blood In Stool Mean Colon Cancer

Colon cancer generally does not cause overt bleeding unless the tumor arises is the distal closer to the rectum part of the colon says andrew black md diplomate of the american board of internal medicine gastroenterology who practices with gi of norman in oklahoma.

Does blood in stool mean colon cancer. Blood in the stool is commonly a sign of hemorrhoids not colon cancer. Colon cancer may lead to more significant bleeding or blood intermixed amongst stools the actual appearance of the blood is the same meaning it s the same shade of red whether it s from a bleeding hemorrhoid or a cancerous tumor in the lower colon. Symptoms of colon cancer may not be present or be minimal and overlooked until it becomes more severe. Cancer screening tests for colon cancer thus are important in individuals 50 and older.

Black maroon and red. They found that patients. It s not as though a certain shade or red means it must be colon cancer. On the other hand bleeding from colon cancer is typically described as darker in appearance.

As the stool passes along the swollen tissue may obstruct the stool causing the hemorrhoid to rupture and bleed. The blood is usually bright red in color and watery in consistency. Occult blood in the stool may indicate colon cancer or polyps in the colon or rectum though not all cancers or polyps bleed. Blood usually but not always can be detected through a fecal occult hidden blood test in which samples of stool are submitted to a lab for detection of blood.

But it is often due to other causes. By maggie fox a standard test for colon cancer that looks for blood in the stool may turn up more risks than doctors or patients bargained for researchers reported monday.