Symptoms of Bowel Cancer

Bowel Cancer also known as colorectal cancer, is a very common cancer in Australia.
Research and studies has shown the cancer affects about 1 in 20 persons in Australia. The
large bowel which is also called the colon and rectum is the last section in the digestion
system. Food passes first through the longer, thinner part of the bowel known as the small
bowel where nutrients are absorbed, which then moves through the large bowel where it
becomes solid faces. The colon is divided into sections ascending, transverse,
descending and sigmoid colon. The solid faeces are collected at the end of the colon in the
last part of the bowel called the rectum.

Symptoms of Bowel Cancer:

The cancer develops when one of the cells in the colon goes through a series of mutations
that control how the cell divides and survives. The division of cells becomes uncontrollable
and forms a clump of cancerous cells which are malignant.

Firstly, the cell change produces a clump of abnormal pea sized cells at the end of normal
cells called an adenoma. Generally, bowel cancer symptoms initially go unnoticed.
However, irregular bowel motions is a common bowel cancer symptom. Bleeding from the
rectum after a bowel motion and abdominal pain may be associated with bowel cancer.

The bleeding may eventually result in the depletion of red blood cells, resulting in anaemia
and the person looking and feeling tired. Other symptoms of bowel cancer include gas
pains, cramps, bloating, and fullness. In many cases, rectal bleeding is caused by
haemorrhoids.

Not all the symptoms mentioned above can confirm the presence of bowel cancer. The
presence of the disease can only be confirmed by having the patient go through a
colonoscopy test Patients who have a bowel cancer diagnosed may undergo a CT scan,
MRI scan, transrectal ultrasound or PET scan to look at the primary tumour itself and for
any evidence of tumour spread in the body.

Treatment for Colorectal cancer:

Colorectal cancer is commonly treated with

surgery, and may also involve chemotherapy
and/or radiotherapy. The surgery mainly involves
removal of a part of the bowel where the tumour
is located, including the draining lymph glands
associated with that part of the bowel. The
surgery is often called Surgical Resection. Surgery

for colorectal cancer surgery is performed by colorectal surgeons who are trained and
having vast expertise in such treatments.

For more information about Colorectal Cancer and the treatment

process, please visit the website http://colorectalsurgeon.com.au/