My Father First Diagnosis of Cancer

What Are Colon Cancer Symptoms?

Colon Cancer Symptoms are Scary but You Can Learn What to Do if You Have Them

From Suzanne Dixon, MPH, RD, former About.com Guide

Updated August 13, 2009

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Boar

Getting a Handle on Colon Cancer Symptoms

Colon cancer symptoms aren't always obvious, but you can learn what these symptoms look and feel like. Understanding colon cancer symptoms is important, because you can use this knowledge to work with your doctor to find out the cause and take care of your long-term health.

What is the Colon?

In order to understand what colon cancer symptoms might feel like, it helps to learn a bit about the colon. The colon is an important part of the digestive system, and as such, it has a major role in helping the body absorb nutrients, minerals, and water. The colon also helps rid the body of waste in the form of stool. The colon makes up the majority of the large intestine, approximately six feet in length. The last six inches or so of the large intestine are the rectum and the anal canal.

What are the Symptoms of Colon Cancer?

Colon cancer can have many symptoms. However, in the early stages, people with colon cancer often have no symptoms at all. This is why regular screening beginning at 50 is an important investment in your healthy future.

Colon cancer symptoms come in two general varieties:

1. Local
2. Systemic

Local Colon Cancer Symptoms

Local colon cancer symptoms affect your bathroom habits and the colon itself. Some of the more common local symptoms of colon cancer include:

• Changes in your bowel habits, such as bowel movements that are either more or less frequent than normal
• Constipation (difficulty having a bowel movement or straining to have a bowel movement)
• Diarrhea (loose or watery stools)
• Intermittent (alternating) constipation and diarrhea
• Bright red or dark red blood in your stools or black, dark colored, "tarry" stools
• Stools that are thinner than normal ("pencil stools") or feeling as if you cannot empty your bowels completely
• Abdominal (midsection) discomfort, bloating, frequent gas pains, or cramps

If you experience any of these for two or more weeks, call your doctor right away to discuss your concerns and arrange for tests to get to the bottom of your symptoms.

Systemic Colon Cancer Symptoms

Systemic colon cancer symptoms are those that affect your whole body, such as weight loss, and include:

• Unintentional weight loss (losing weight when not dieting or trying to lose weight)
• Loss of appetite
• Unexplained fatigue (extreme tiredness)
• Nausea or vomiting
• Anemia (low red blood cell count or low iron in your red blood cells)
• Jaundice (yellow color to the skin and whites of the eyes)

If you experience any of these for any length of time, even a few days, call your doctor right away to discuss your concerns and arrange for tests to get to the bottom of your symptoms.