Colorectal cancer has become the leading cause of cancer death among Americans under 50, and gastroenterologist Dr. Trisha Pasricha says a significant part of the problem is happening in the bathroom, in particular, when people don’t pay attention to what they see in there.
“The bigger problem is that we’re catching them late,” Pasricha told Business Insider. “The stage at which you catch these early cases is everything.”
Unlike other cancers, colon cancer is quite uncommon when it comes to the lack of symptoms presented by the body before it reaches the point where treatment becomes more difficult.
This leads to changes in bathroom behavior, such as unexplained diarrhea, constipation, urgency, and frequent bathroom visits, some of the early warning signs.
According to Pasricha, author of the book You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong, which explains how your digestive system reflects your health, the first thing you need to do is to recognize what’s normal for you.
“The only way you know what your normal look is is to show up. You have to show up every day,” he said. Changes that persist for more than a few weeks require a conversation with your doctor, even if they are not severe enough to disrupt daily life.
Amidst all the other changes, there are two that physicians should pay immediate attention to. First of all, the formation of ribbon-like stools is something that persists over a long period of time.
This may be caused by pressure from a large tumor on the colon, causing the stool to be shaped differently when it exits the body.
The second most serious problem is rectal bleeding in any form. “Bleeding in any form is a big literal red flag,” Pasricha said. “I’d like to hear when you bled, a day or two after I saw you, maybe even the same day.”
Bleeding can also be caused by hemorrhoids and inflammatory bowel disease, but it is important to nip the cancer in the bud.
There are two symptoms that patients tend to overlook when they think about colorectal cancer, including non-specific lower abdominal pain and vague fatigue. As Pasricha points out, the pain should not have happened in the first place; It’s usually mild and persistent, “and it doesn’t stop you from doing your job, but it’s also uncomfortable.”
