Rectal cancer- are you ignoring the signs?

Rectal Cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the rectum. The rectum is the last several inches of the large intestine, starting at the end of the final segment of your colon and ends when it reaches the short, narrow passage leading to the anus. 

Rectal cancer begins when healthy cells in the rectum develop changes (mutations) in their DNA. A cell’s DNA contains the instructions that tell a cell what to do.

Cancer inside the rectum (rectal cancer) and cancer inside the colon (colon cancer) are often referred to together as “colorectal cancer.”

While rectal and colon cancers may be similar in many ways, their treatments are quite different, mainly because the rectum sits in a tight space which is barely separated from other organs and structures making the surgery to remove rectal cancer complex.

In some families, gene mutations passed from parents to children increase the risk of colorectal cancer. These mutations are involved in only a small percentage of rectal cancers. Some genes linked to this cancer increase the risk of developing the diseases, but they don’t make it inevitable.

Symptoms for Rectal cancer to look out for are-

• A change in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation or more frequent bowel movements

• Dark maroon or bright red blood in stool

• Narrow stool

• A feeling that your bowel doesn’t empty completely

• Abdominal pain

• Unexplained weight loss

• Weakness or fatigue.

Causes may include -

1. Too little exercise- If one is very inactive, one is more likely to be exposed to the risk of colorectal cancer, while getting regular physical activities may reduce your risk of cancer.

2. Diabetes- People with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes may have increased risk of colorectal cancer.

3. Obesity- People who suffer from obesity have an increased risk of colorectal cancer when compared to people with considerably healthier weight.

4. Radiation Therapy for previous cancer- Radiation therapy directed at the abdomen to treat previous cancers may increase the risk of colorectal cancer.

 

It is important to be aware of what might be a potential risk to one’s health, as common signs and symptoms often get ignored or overlooked by people resulting in losing time on easy and better recovery.

The most notable name for the best general surgeon in Kolkata is Dr. Gaurav Kumar, who has been constantly working in Narayana Superspeciality for the last 5 years, in the department of GI surgery, Minimal Invasive Surgery & General surgery. He mentions the importance of letting your patients know about their diseases and making them aware of what their diagnosis means, explaining the risk factors and so on so as to make sure that there is full awareness of decisions and a clarity during the whole procedure, leaving no place for misunderstanding.