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Are Persistent Abdominal Pain And Discolouration Of Stool Symptoms Of Colon Cancer?
Posted on
Mon, 28 Sep 2015
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Mon, 28 Sep 2015
Answered on
Tue, 20 Oct 2015
Last reviewed on
Question : So I am beginning to freak myself out. For the past 10 days, I have been having frequent bowel movements. At first, they came with a lot of pain, but the pain would subside after relieving my bowels. The stools were soft and a lot of them. No blood in stool at any point( a little bit of red on toilet paper..I have hemorrhoids which I know have been impacted by all of this). I went to my regular doctor. I had an abdominal ct scan this past thursday(no results yet). The pain while going to the bathroom has subsided(although I have gotten a pain to the right of my belly button a few times...small intestine ?). After about 5 or 6 days when the frequency of my going to the bathroom slowed down, I seemed to strain a bit more to go and the stools were coated in white(which I have now determined is mucous). This would only occur with the harder stools...the other stools seem to be softer and more of a yellowy color. After the ct scan, I , of course , was going to the bathroom frequently...no white in stool at that time. So my concern is the mucous...which I have never had before and of course, what is causing the diarrhea and all of it. Ironically, I had seen my gastro dr. the tuesday prior to the thursday when all of this began. So i have scheduled another appointment and it is not until the 9th. I had a colonoscopy in january of 2014(all normal except for hemorrhoids ) and an upper gi at same time. Gastritis was the only thing found. Since then, I had an abdominal ultrasound and pelvic ultrasound in early August...all fine...Could colon cancer develop that quickly? I am a HUGE worrier and am driving everyone around me nuts?? I called my gastro ofice about the white poop last week but did not get an answer. Thanks for your help!
Brief Answer:
Please try Rifaximine treatment. This is not a colon cancer.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
No, this is not a colon cancer. We know that it takes about 10 years for the colon cancer to develop. So in 1 year, it is impossible for the colon cancer to develop. It would be extremely unbelivable case.
Your symptoms can be caused by bacterial infection. This should be ruled out at first (instead of perfoming CT). White coatage of the stool can appear due to fungal infection or due to mucus presence in the stool. Mucus is a sign of infection.
It is also possible that you may have inflammatory bowels disease. But the infection should be ruled out at first.
Here is what you should do:
- have stool test and stool culture test
- start probiotic intake and Rifaximine treatment
- if this wont help, colonoscopy should be repeated (but not to check for the cancer, rather to check for Crohns disease).
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Please try Rifaximine treatment. This is not a colon cancer.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
No, this is not a colon cancer. We know that it takes about 10 years for the colon cancer to develop. So in 1 year, it is impossible for the colon cancer to develop. It would be extremely unbelivable case.
Your symptoms can be caused by bacterial infection. This should be ruled out at first (instead of perfoming CT). White coatage of the stool can appear due to fungal infection or due to mucus presence in the stool. Mucus is a sign of infection.
It is also possible that you may have inflammatory bowels disease. But the infection should be ruled out at first.
Here is what you should do:
- have stool test and stool culture test
- start probiotic intake and Rifaximine treatment
- if this wont help, colonoscopy should be repeated (but not to check for the cancer, rather to check for Crohns disease).
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you . Can chrons disease develop this quickly as well since I had the colonoscopy 1/2015. Would an infection go on for this long? Does the dr's office give me something for stool sample or so I bring it in? Is that medication a prescription ?( I assume it is ) . Thank you for calming words .
Brief Answer:
Crohns disease can develop very fast.
Detailed Answer:
Yes, Crohns disease can develop in few weeks/months. Its a kind of inflammation caused by autoimmune system hypersensitivity (similar to allergy).
Yes, infection can last for a long time. It is very common that for example after antibiotics treatment or abroad travel people can have such symptoms for months or even years. It is called chronic infection.
Yes, they should give you a kind of container where you can store the stool.
Rifaximine is prescription only. It can fight such chronic infection.
Crohns disease can develop very fast.
Detailed Answer:
Yes, Crohns disease can develop in few weeks/months. Its a kind of inflammation caused by autoimmune system hypersensitivity (similar to allergy).
Yes, infection can last for a long time. It is very common that for example after antibiotics treatment or abroad travel people can have such symptoms for months or even years. It is called chronic infection.
Yes, they should give you a kind of container where you can store the stool.
Rifaximine is prescription only. It can fight such chronic infection.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I have not been on any antibiotics or travelled abroad(since XXXXXXX .and that was to England and Iceland) recently. Are there are other infections as well that could last that long? In early August , for about 3 weeks, I had nausea and no appetite ...went on antacids and sucralfate; it then got better. Could these be related? My appetite is fine now and now nausea. I have had blood work done that was all normal. Would this show any indication of Crohns? What about irritable bowel syndrome? Is that a possibility? Thanks.
Brief Answer:
The infection could start in August.
Detailed Answer:
Antibiotics and abroad travel were just an example. There is much more reasons of such infection. You deliver bactaria to digestive tract every day with foods.
Any infection can last long time especially if caused by resistant bacteria. And for sure it could start at August with nausea and other symptoms. Moreover antiacids can also be the reason of such infection as the stomach acid amount is decreased. And stomach acid protects us against bacteria.
With Crohns low hemoglobin can sometimes appear in blood work.
IBS is not a real disease. We say that someone has IBS when the reasons of symptons can not be established.
The infection could start in August.
Detailed Answer:
Antibiotics and abroad travel were just an example. There is much more reasons of such infection. You deliver bactaria to digestive tract every day with foods.
Any infection can last long time especially if caused by resistant bacteria. And for sure it could start at August with nausea and other symptoms. Moreover antiacids can also be the reason of such infection as the stomach acid amount is decreased. And stomach acid protects us against bacteria.
With Crohns low hemoglobin can sometimes appear in blood work.
IBS is not a real disease. We say that someone has IBS when the reasons of symptons can not be established.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks for your feedback. Went to my PCP. Did not feel that it was necessary to do stool sample. Feels it is probably some form of IBS. But now I have a new worry. The CT scan showed a 4.7x2.8 possible multiloculated cyst in right adnexa. Made appt with gyn for Thursday. So now I might have ovarian cancer(I can't win). Do you know much about those cysts. Thanks.
Brief Answer:
You have a cyst, not a cancer.
Detailed Answer:
Well, your PCP saying that proves that he does not really know what IBS is. This condition can be diagnosed only after ruling out all know reasons of present symptoms. So how he can "feel" that this is IBS not doing anything?
Rifaximine treatment is a one way to cure IBS caused by chronic bacterial infection (therefore this is not an IBS but chronic bacterial infection). Some gastrologist start with this treatment before performing any diagnostic. So at leas you should try it.
If its about your ovaries, you have a cyst. Not a cancer. Its really too early to thing about it. If the CT was done with contrast, malignant lesion would be filled with contrast during the test. Cyst does not do that.
Ovaries cysts are very common finding. You should have Ca 125 level checked at this point and your gynecologist should consider the samples collection from this cyst.
You have a cyst, not a cancer.
Detailed Answer:
Well, your PCP saying that proves that he does not really know what IBS is. This condition can be diagnosed only after ruling out all know reasons of present symptoms. So how he can "feel" that this is IBS not doing anything?
Rifaximine treatment is a one way to cure IBS caused by chronic bacterial infection (therefore this is not an IBS but chronic bacterial infection). Some gastrologist start with this treatment before performing any diagnostic. So at leas you should try it.
If its about your ovaries, you have a cyst. Not a cancer. Its really too early to thing about it. If the CT was done with contrast, malignant lesion would be filled with contrast during the test. Cyst does not do that.
Ovaries cysts are very common finding. You should have Ca 125 level checked at this point and your gynecologist should consider the samples collection from this cyst.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Can you explain further about if the ct was done wit contrast, malignant lesion would be filled with contrast during the test. Would they have said it was a mass? Or a malignant lesion? What does a multiloculated cyst mean and what is the chance of malignancy.(Also, I have an appt with my gastro dr. on the 9th, so I guess I can get some answers there,....hope to talk to him on the phone as well).
Brief Answer:
The risk of malignancy is low.
Detailed Answer:
Every cancer needs lots of blood to liver and grow. To achieve that aim, cancer stimulates vascular proliferation. In other words, every cancer has a lot of blood vessels. Much more than any other healthy tissue.
Now when you give the contrast during the CT, this blood vessels are filled with the contrast so it literally glows on the CT images. Cyst does not glow as it does not contain blood vessels. So it is dark on the CT images. That is how the radiologist is able to tell if the lesion is a cyst or malignant tissue.
Yes, they would said a mass or tumor, not cyst.
Miltiloculated cyst is seen as few cysts in one. It is build of septums which gives multiple compartments of the cyst. It is seen as a few cysts constructed in one cyst.
The risk of malignancy is low.
Detailed Answer:
Every cancer needs lots of blood to liver and grow. To achieve that aim, cancer stimulates vascular proliferation. In other words, every cancer has a lot of blood vessels. Much more than any other healthy tissue.
Now when you give the contrast during the CT, this blood vessels are filled with the contrast so it literally glows on the CT images. Cyst does not glow as it does not contain blood vessels. So it is dark on the CT images. That is how the radiologist is able to tell if the lesion is a cyst or malignant tissue.
Yes, they would said a mass or tumor, not cyst.
Miltiloculated cyst is seen as few cysts in one. It is build of septums which gives multiple compartments of the cyst. It is seen as a few cysts constructed in one cyst.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you. That helps me understand better. So a cyst is more encouraging for sure. Can a mulitloculated cyst just show up or does it take a lot of time to grow. For instance, since the ultrasound back in the beginning of August did not show anything, is it possible that the cyst just grew since then, maybe around my period. Could it be that big?
Brief Answer:
Cysts can grow very fast.
Detailed Answer:
Ovaries cysts are very dynamic. Just like the follicle in the ovaries appears in few days, the cyst can appear very quickly. Ovaries are stimulated with hormones produced by the brain. And ovaries cysts can be really large (like 10 cm or even larger). So yours is not that large.
The other thing is that ovaries are poorly visible for abdominal ultrasound. Transvaginal ultrasound can detect ovaries cyst. That is why August ultrasound could not show it.
Cysts can grow very fast.
Detailed Answer:
Ovaries cysts are very dynamic. Just like the follicle in the ovaries appears in few days, the cyst can appear very quickly. Ovaries are stimulated with hormones produced by the brain. And ovaries cysts can be really large (like 10 cm or even larger). So yours is not that large.
The other thing is that ovaries are poorly visible for abdominal ultrasound. Transvaginal ultrasound can detect ovaries cyst. That is why August ultrasound could not show it.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Actually, I had both ultrasounds back then. I did have a transvaginal ultrasound, and it did not show anything. So that is why I am questioning why it was not seen. What are your thoughts about that? Could it have been missed in that case or could the cyst just have grown that quickly? Can tumors grow that quickly as well??Thanks.
Brief Answer:
Cancer does not grow that fast. Cyst does.
Detailed Answer:
If you have had transvaginal ultrasound on that time, the cyst could not be missed. Ovaries are clearly visible in that type of ultrasound.
And cancer does not grow that quickly. Most of the cancers need years to grow. This makes the cyst even more possible.
Cancer does not grow that fast. Cyst does.
Detailed Answer:
If you have had transvaginal ultrasound on that time, the cyst could not be missed. Ovaries are clearly visible in that type of ultrasound.
And cancer does not grow that quickly. Most of the cancers need years to grow. This makes the cyst even more possible.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you...that is a bit more reassuring. One last thing that the ct scan showed. Prominent left gonadal and left pelvic veins of uncertain clinical significance. Recommending correlation for pelvic congestion syndrome. what does this mean exactly? What sort of symptoms can it cause and is it serious? Thanks
Brief Answer:
Varices of the pelvis veins.
Detailed Answer:
Pelvic congestion syndrome is a condition caused by varicose veins in lower abdomen (left gonadal and pelvic veins at your case). The main symptoms of such condition is dull lower abdominal pain which aggravates while standing (when the pressure is much higher in the veins).
But they are not sure about the nature of this veins prominence. To confirm or rule this condition out, transvaginal Doppler ultrasound should be done.
Varices of the pelvis veins.
Detailed Answer:
Pelvic congestion syndrome is a condition caused by varicose veins in lower abdomen (left gonadal and pelvic veins at your case). The main symptoms of such condition is dull lower abdominal pain which aggravates while standing (when the pressure is much higher in the veins).
But they are not sure about the nature of this veins prominence. To confirm or rule this condition out, transvaginal Doppler ultrasound should be done.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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