Pencil Thin Early Stage Colon Cancer Stool Pictures
Cancer is another possible causes of pencil thin stools due to narrowing.
Pencil thin early stage colon cancer stool pictures. Brian lacy md of dartmouth hitchcock med center. Change in stool shape. Let s take a closer look at how pencil shaped stools from irritable bowel syndrome might appear different from flattened narrow bowel movements caused by colon cancer. Colon cancer may begin to show symptoms and signs as the cancer grows and expands for example blood in the stool bowel habit changes abdominal pain and fatigue.
Colon cancer affects both men and women and all racial and ethnic groups. Changes in appetite weight loss anorectal bleeding and pain are some of the symptoms that may be present but often there are no symptoms in the early stages. Cancer screening tests for colon cancer thus are important in individuals 50 and older. This includes colorectal cancer and anal cancer.
Symptoms of colon cancer may not be present or be minimal and overlooked until it becomes more severe. Patients are often concerned about the frequency shape and texture of their bowel movements explains dr. Colon cancer is a type of cancer that originates in the cells lining the large intestine. Persistent pencil thin stool which may be solid or loose is one of the symptoms of colorectal polyps or cancer.
More than 90 of cases. In an otherwise healthy person thin stools may be caused by a narrowing of the colon also called a partial blockage of the colon due to colon cancer. There are four stages of colon cancer. Thin poo may be a warning sign of.
If your thin or narrow stools have you fearing colon cancer there are other causes of narrow thin stools besides cancer of the colon. The early stages of colon cancer usually don t have any signs or symptoms. How to recognize colon cancer symptoms. If you have stool that s suddenly stringy or poop that gets pencil thin over time does it mean you have cancer.
If you have any of these symptoms seek immediate medical help. As the size of the polyp or cancer increases it can decrease the internal diameter of the colon or rectum so that only thin stool can pass through. A number of factors can determine bowel movement caliber shape texture color etc says whitney jones md clinical professor of medicine university of louisville and founder colon cancer prevention project. One of the first ways to screen for the disease is to check your stools.
Colorectal cancer also called colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the u s. Thin or narrow stools often described as ribbon or pencil like may also be a sign of colon cancer.