Case history
Case history
A 70-year-old man presents to his primary care physician with a complaint of rectal bleeding. He describes blood mixed in with the stool and a change from his normal bowel habit as he is going more frequently than normal. He has also experienced some crampy left-sided abdominal pain and weight loss. He has previously been fit and well, and there is no family history of gastrointestinal disease. Examination of his abdomen and digital rectal examination are normal.
Other presentations
Patients may be diagnosed at a late stage with advanced disease, as the symptoms of colorectal cancer are frequently nonspecific. The most common presenting symptoms and signs are rectal bleeding, melena, persisting change in bowel habit, and unexplained iron-deficiency anemia.[3] Abdominal distention, nausea, and/or vomiting are the less common symptoms and may indicate obstruction.[3] More advanced tumors are likely to cause loss of appetite, weight loss, and abdominal pain. Nonspecific symptoms associated with early colorectal cancer can be present in a variety of other disease processes.
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