Oncology: 4 types of pain can signal a tumor in the intestine

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Fortunately, bowel cancer boasts a 91% survival rate when diagnosed at a localized stage. However, once the disease progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to control. According to health authorities, four types of abdominal pain can be a sign that a tumor is growing inside the intestine.

Most cases result from the formation of a polyp inside the colon, where cells have regrouped inside the lining of the passage. Although these precancerous growths are mostly benign, some of them become cancerous.

This happens when cells gain the ability to grow out of control, forming tumors that grow into nearby tissues. Early detection of the disease is crucial for survival, so changes in the body's normal functions should never be ignored.

“Patients often first complain of a change in bowel movements, and this is often accompanied by abdominal pain. Discomfort commonly described by patients includes gas pain, bloating, fullness, and/or cramping.”

Researchers assessed the frequency of various bowel cancer symptoms in 194 patients with colorectal cancer. The most common symptoms were rectal bleeding (58 percent), abdominal pain (52 percent), and bowel changes (51 percent); most had anemia (57 percent) and occult bleeding (77 percent).

“Sometimes patients with abdominal pain also complain that it radiates to the lower back, which is also a symptom of stomach and rectal cancer . Often, this discomfort becomes more pronounced after eating, when food passes through the intestines,” the oncologist adds.