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One of the most aggressive types of cancer is the one that occurs in the rectal area, when an abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells occurs.
Although rectal cancer is not that common, it is in most cases overlooked, because people are ashamed to talk about their symptoms.
Please note that we are not talking today about colon cancer, the so‑called colorectal carcinoma. Colon cancer and rectal cancer are two different types. Rectal cancer affects only the rectal area, whereas colon cancer affects the colon and at the same time the entire rectum.
What is rectal cancer
Each year around 8,000 Americans are affected by rectal cancer and roughly one thousand die from it; unfortunately this cancer is also common in the Czech Republic, where in recent years we have been ranking among the top places across Europe.
Much worse, however, is the finding that one in four people is diagnosed with this cancer only after it has spread to the lymph nodes and one in ten people has the cancer reach other organs before it is detected.
Another sad piece of news is the fact that this type has been on the rise in recent years. It is still, however, rarer compared to colon cancer.
What are the symptoms of rectal cancer
The key to successful treatment is early detection. However, it is not that simple, since in some cases the manifestations of the cancer are not so apparent. Below we bring you a list of symptoms that you should definitely not ignore:
- itching in the rectal area
- sensitivity or pain in the anal opening
- unusual bowel movements
- bleeding from the rectum
- unusual discharge from the rectum
- hard lumps in the area of the anal opening
What exactly causes rectal cancer is still unclear. Some doctors believe that weakened immunity, smoking and frequent irritation of the rectum are to blame.
Rectal cancer most commonly affects adults over 60 years old. Men up to 35 and women over 60 are exposed to a higher risk of developing colon cancer.
How to recognize rectal cancer in the early stage
As already mentioned at the beginning, early detection is important for successful treatment. In conventional medicine there are several ways to detect rectal cancer early.
One of them is an examination of the anal opening, when the doctor inspects the anal cavities and looks for possible abnormalities. Another option is insertion of a special device designed to detect health problems in the rectal and intestinal area.
However, this procedure is used in case abnormalities are found during the first examination. Other possibilities to detect rectal cancer include examination using a PET scan, MRI, CT, X‑ray, ultrasound or biopsy.
Many people, however, find these methods controversial or are ashamed to undergo them. This is one of the main reasons why rectal cancer spreads so quickly and is successful in its endeavor.
