Symptoms of colorectal cancer contributes to its localization and advancement

Abstract

<b>Introduction:</b> Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers occurring in Poland. Unfortunately, this cancer is most often diagnosed at the time of great advancement. This is caused by the appearance of specific symptoms only in the late stages of cancer. Also, such low detection of early stages of adenocarcinoma may be caused by disregarding of slight symptoms. <br/>Purpose:</b> To analyse symptoms in patients with colorectal cancer and correlate with chosen clinical-pathological parameters. <br/>Materials and methods:</b> The study group consisted of 46 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Information on symptoms associated with cancer (subjective and objective) have been selected from patients' medical history. The presence of these symptoms was correlated with the age and sex of patients, tumor location, histological type of cancer, grade of histological malignancy (G), stage of tumor (T stage), presence of lymph node metastases and distant metastases. <br/><b>Results:</b> It has been shown that the presence of pain complaints described by the patient are associated with the occurrence of cancer in the colon. The painfulness and pathological resistance diagnosed by the physician are more often associated with cancer located in the colon. In the case of tumors located in the rectum, faecal admixtures appear more frequently. It has also been shown that the presence of admixtures of blood and mucus in the stool is associated with more advanced local tumors, infiltrating pericolorectal tissues (T3 + T4). <br/><b>Conclusions:</b> Familiarity with clinical symptoms of colorectal cancer could make patients more sensitive to more often screening for cancer. Analysis of these symptoms could indicate to the physician the location or stage of the cancer.