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Symptoms of rectosigmoid carcinoma
Journal of the National Medical Association
|December 1, 1983
Summary
For rectal, sigmoid, and rectosigmoid cancers, visible blood in stool is the most common early symptom. Symptom duration does not impact patient survival or cancer stage.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Colorectal cancer, including carcinoma of the rectum, sigmoid, and rectosigmoid regions, presents with diverse initial symptoms.
- Early symptom recognition is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment of these malignancies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the presenting symptoms in patients diagnosed with carcinoma of the rectum, sigmoid, and rectosigmoid.
- To determine the relationship between symptom duration and patient survival or tumor stage.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of presenting symptoms in 167 patients with carcinoma of the rectum, sigmoid, and rectosigmoid.
- Correlation analysis of symptom duration with survival outcomes and surgical tumor staging.
Main Results:
- The most frequent presenting symptom was visible blood in the stool, followed by a change in bowel habits.
- The earliest reported symptom was a change in bowel habits.
- No significant relationship was found between the duration of symptoms and patient survival or the stage of the tumor at surgery.
Conclusions:
- Visible blood in stool and changes in bowel habits are key indicators for colorectal cancer in these specific anatomical locations.
- The duration of symptoms prior to diagnosis does not appear to be a prognostic factor for survival or tumor stage in rectal, sigmoid, and rectosigmoid carcinomas.