Is there a difference between colon cancer and rectal cancer?

Written by Liu Liang

Oncology

Updated on September 25, 2024

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Colorectal cancer includes rectal cancer and colon cancer. Its clinical manifestations may include rectal bleeding, changes in bowel habits, and changes in stool shape. It is named according to the specific location of the tumor. For example, if the malignant tumor occurs in the rectum, it is called rectal cancer. If it occurs in the transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon, and ascending colon, these malignant tumors are called colon cancer. Colon cancer and rectal cancer are collectively referred to as colorectal cancer.

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Written by Gong Chun

Oncology

49sec

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What is the best food to eat after rectal cancer surgery?

For malignant tumors and colorectal cancer, the suggested dietary recommendations after surgery include, first and foremost, consuming nutritious foods to replenish the nutrients depleted by the surgery and the tumor. It is advisable to eat more nutritional items. Secondly, after surgery for rectal cancer, it's important to avoid hard-to-digest and gas-producing foods such as beans, milk, and eggs. Thirdly, it is recommended to consume easily digestible items like soups and nutritious porridge. The fourth recommendation is to avoid spicy and irritating foods, and abstain from alcohol and smoking.

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Written by Liu Liang

Oncology

47sec

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What are the symptoms of rectal cancer?

Symptoms of rectal cancer include changes in bowel habits, such as a feeling of heaviness around the anus, a constant need to defecate, or diarrhea. Some patients may experience constipation, or alternating episodes of diarrhea and constipation. Another common symptom is a change in the shape of the stool, with the stool becoming narrower. Additionally, abdominal pain and rectal bleeding are also common symptoms. Some patients with rectal cancer may exhibit clinical signs of intestinal obstruction, which includes constipation, inability to pass stool or gas, which means no flatulence. This is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Other common symptoms include significant abdominal pain and bloating.

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Written by Liu Liang

Oncology

52sec

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Rectal cancer stage III

Rectal cancer staging is based on the TNM system. "T" refers to the primary tumor, and its stage depends on which layer of the bowel wall the tumor has invaded. "N" is based on whether there are lymph node metastases and the number of lymph nodes involved. "M" indicates whether there are metastases to distant organs. Staging is determined according to the TNM situation, where Stage I is the earliest and Stage IV is the latest. Stage III indicates lymph node metastasis without distant organ metastases, such as to the liver or lungs. In such cases, irrespective of whether T is T1 to T4, if there is lymph node involvement without distant organ metastasis, it is staged as Stage III.

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Written by Deng Heng

Colorectal Surgery

50sec

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What is good to eat after rectal cancer surgery?

Patients who have undergone surgery for rectal cancer should pay attention to the following points regarding their diet: First, consume a moderate amount of foods containing monounsaturated fatty acids, such as olive oil and tuna. Second, avoid overheating animal products and vegetable oils during cooking. Third, eat more foods rich in dietary fiber, such as konjac, soy and its products, fresh vegetables and fruits, and algae. Fourth, intake vitamins and trace elements by eating fresh vegetables and fruits to supplement carotene and vitamin C, and consume appropriate amounts of walnuts, peanut milk, products, and seafood to supplement vitamin E. Pay attention to the intake of foods rich in the trace element selenium, such as malt, fish, and mushrooms.

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Written by Yu Xu Chao

Colorectal Surgery

54sec

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How to differentiate rectal cancer from hemorrhoids

Rectal cancer is a malignant lesion, with clinical symptoms mainly causing an increase in the frequency of bowel movements, changes in stool characteristics such as grooved stools or stools with mucus and pus and blood. Severe patients may experience abdominal pain, weight loss, anemia, and other accompanying symptoms. Generally, low-lying rectal cancer can be seen during a digital rectal examination or with an anoscope. If the cancer is located higher up, an electronic colonoscopy is needed to see the cauliflower-like mass. Hemorrhoids, on the other hand, are benign lesions often caused by improper diet or poor bowel habits, leading to pathological hypertrophy and descent of the anal cushions. They are mostly characterized by intermittent painless rectal bleeding with bright red blood, along with a feeling of heaviness and a foreign body sensation in the anus.