Blood in Stool
A warning sign for colon or rectal cancer is blood in the stool. Sometimes you may notice bright red spots, and other times it may not be visible to the naked eye. The severity of symptoms depends on the advancement and location of the disease.
Stool could also appear very dark or black, signifying the presence of dried blood. If you see any sign of blood in your stool, you should consult your doctor. A fecal occult test can detect whether there is blood in the stool, and additional examinations can help your doctor determine the source of the blood and the proper course of treatment.
Fatigue and weakness
It can be easy to confuse fatigue with simply being tired. Between work and personal obligations, everyone can feel run down at times. If the exhaustion does not go away with rest, it could be fatigue. In addition to colorectal cancer, fatigue and weakness could also be symptoms of diabetes, anemia and heart disease.
Similar to unexplained weight loss, cancer cells can cause fatigue as they use up the body’s energy. Sometimes colon cancer can cause fatigue due to internal blood loss from the disease. In many cases, the symptoms of colon cancer are connected. Other colon cancer symptoms, such as unintentional weight loss and a change in bowel habits, can increase the feeling of weakness.
