HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

Get your health question answered instantly from our pool of 18000+ doctors from over 80 specialties
159 Doctors Online

By proceeding, I accept the Terms and Conditions

Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

HCM Blog Instant Access to Doctors
HCM BlogQuestions Answered
HCM Blog Satisfaction

Do Dark Colored Stools Indicate Colon Cancer?

Hi there, My husband recently had black stools and has been feeling light headed...enough that he came home from work which he never does. A few months ago he had a blood test and all was fine. He had another blood test this week and was told by the doctor his hemagloben count has gone from 158 to 105. He has been advised to get a colonoscopy and endoscopy plus he has had his bloods retested and needs to provide a stool sample for testing. I am worried he might have cold cancer...he is 51 this year.
Tue, 16 Aug 2016
Report Abuse
  User's Response
Hello

Thank you for posting at HCM.

Dark coloured stools/black stools are called Malaena in medical language. This is usually due to GI bleed, NOT NECESSARILY due to colonic cancer.

Routine blood investigations are usually not sufficient or customary in diagnosis of colonic cancer. Your doctor has suitable advised you to go for Endoscopy and colonoscopy.

As he was feeling light headed and hb dropped, and with no other complaints, this doesn't look like a case of colonic cancer, but a simple GI bleed due to multitude of other reasons. But still we need above reports for any confirmatory diagnosis.

Please get the tests done, and get it analysed from your doc or post it here on HCM to get our opinion.

Feel free to contact us again

Thank you
I find this answer helpful

 1 user finds this helpful
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Disclaimer: These answers are for your information only and not intended to replace your relationship with your treating physician.
This is a short, free answer. For a more detailed, immediate answer, try our premium service [Sample answer]
Share on
 
Loading Online Doctors....
Do Dark Colored Stools Indicate Colon Cancer?

Hello Thank you for posting at HCM. Dark coloured stools/black stools are called Malaena in medical language. This is usually due to GI bleed, NOT NECESSARILY due to colonic cancer. Routine blood investigations are usually not sufficient or customary in diagnosis of colonic cancer. Your doctor has suitable advised you to go for Endoscopy and colonoscopy. As he was feeling light headed and hb dropped, and with no other complaints, this doesn t look like a case of colonic cancer, but a simple GI bleed due to multitude of other reasons. But still we need above reports for any confirmatory diagnosis. Please get the tests done, and get it analysed from your doc or post it here on HCM to get our opinion. Feel free to contact us again Thank you