Spotting bowel cancer early significantly enhances recovery chances, and experts urge prompt medical consultation if certain symptoms arise. Here's what to watch for:
- **Anemia:** Identified as a potential indicator of bowel issues, anemia can signal a lack of healthy red blood cells. The UK Bowel Cancer Center advises, "If experiencing extreme fatigue without a known cause, consult your doctor. This exhaustion might stem from anemia."
- **Night Sweats:** Regular, sleep-disrupting night sweats, especially if accompanied by fever, unexplained weight loss, or other symptoms, can be a warning sign of certain cancers. Experts recommend seeking medical advice.
- **Rectal Prolapse:** A more direct symptom of bowel cancer, rectal prolapse occurs when the rectum drops from its usual position in the pelvis.
Other common symptoms of bowel cancer include:
- Abdominal pain
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
- Severe tiredness or weakness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Unintentional weight loss
- Blood in the stool or changes in stool color to red or black
- Watery diarrhea
Recognizing these signs early and consulting healthcare professionals can vastly improve treatment success.