Participating in regular screening programs and being alert yourself to colorectal cancer symptoms can facilitate early diagnosis. In many cases, it eliminates need for aggressive surgery or other cancer treatments. Blood in the stools Abdominal pain, not associated with flu or diet change Change in bowel habit, such as an increase in number of stools, decreased diameter of stools, diarrhea, or constipation Unintended weight loss. Contact your doctor for further evaluation if you experience any of these symptoms. A lack of symptoms, however, does not mean a clean bill of health.
Many people have no symptoms when the disease first arises.
Therefore, regular screening tests is considered the best bet for early diagnosis. Colorectal cancer screening programs are recommended by most health organizations, including the World Health Organization and American Cancer Society, because they save lives. The objective of screening is to detect precancerous polyps and tumors in their earliest stages, at the time they are most curable. Because the risk of colorectal cancer increases with age, screening is generally recommended for anyone over 50 years of age. Earlier and more intense screening is recommended for those who have biological risks , such as a family history of colorectal cancer, genetic trait or inflammatory bowel disease.