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Does Colon Cancer Cause Pain After Eating?

Pain due to cancer can vary that ranges from mild to severe. Colon cancer can lead to pain, too. Even sometime it may cause pain that has nothing to do with colon, such as back pain. Since colon itself is an essential part of your digestive system, many times it can cause abdominal discomforts. But does it cause pain after eating?

Topic overview

Cancer itself is a group of disease that can lead to almost any symptom, typically depending on where the abnormal cancerous growth is, the size (how big it is), and where it has spread. The bigger the tumor and more affected tissues /organs, the more clearly the symptoms appear.

As the cancerous tumor grows, it can press nearby nerves, blood vessels, and organs. Even the smallest one can lead to noticeable symptom if the area where it grows is so critical (such as in the brain).

image_illustration337How about colon cancer? As the name implies, it is a cancer that originally stars growing in the large intestine (colon). With rectal cancer (cancerous tumor of rectum, the last few inches of the colon), they are referred to as colorectal cancer.

Unfortunately, there are usually no early signs and symptoms for cancer of colon. Many times, the symptoms occur when the cancer is large enough to affect the function of digestive system. In other words, the symptoms are usually noticed when the disease at advanced stage.

If the early signs and symptoms do occur, these usually can be vogue since they can pinpoint the numerous different health conditions. This is one of the most challenging things in diagnosing this cancer as early as possible.

In fact, the treatment will work best for cancer that is found early, the condition of while it’s completely in the inner lining, smallest in size, and has smallest risk to have spread to other parts of the body. This means, cancer at early stage has a better chance for a cure, particularly true if it can be completely removed with surgery.

And like other cancers, there is no clearly answer for the exact cause of colon cancer. However, you are more likely to have it if you have some of the following risk factors:

  1. As you age, your risk increases. In fact, the disease is more common in adults aged 60 or older.
  2. A family history! If your mom or dad, or one of other first relative degrees (such as brother or sister) has colon cancer, you are more likely to experience the same condition – this doesn’t mean that you will definitely develop colon cancer, but your risk is relatively greater than others.
  3. Bad dietary intake! It’s thought that diet high in fat (especially animal based fats such as red meat) and low in fiber has an effect, too.
  4. Sedentary lifestyle! Being inactive is bad for the overall health. It may also increase the risk of colon cancer.
  5. Weight can be another risk factor, because the disease is pretty common in obese people. So, if you are being obese or even just overweight, lose your weight gradually! Both well-balanced diet and regular exercise can be effective enough to have and maintain healthy weight.
  6. Other lifestyle factors such as smoking and abusing alcohol. Some studies found that these bad habits may have a role to increase the risk of bowel cancer.

Moreover, people with other conditions (particularly such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) are also at an increased risk.

Does colon cancer cause pain after eating?

Yap, some people with colon experience abdominal pain that is usually provoked by eating! The pain may be followed with other abdominal discomforts such as bloating, constipation, or change in bowel movement.

Even in severe case, the cancerous growth in the large intestine can be big enough to cause an emergency condition called bowel obstruction.

This obstruction can partly or totally block the way of the waste product moves through the colon. As a result you will find serious problem to pass the stool.

Although there is usually no early symptom, but there are some warning signs related to the existence of colon cancer that you may notice before it gets worse and spreads – see more in this helpful guide!

But pain after eating can be attributed by many factors. Read also numerous conditions that can lead to this symptom in here!

Tips for prevention

If you do believe that the pain may be a sign of a cancer in the bowel, don’t make a conclusion on your own! See your doctor promptly for the diagnosis and more advice!

To reduce your risk, there are plenty of options you can do with the modifiable risk factors of the disease. These include:

  1. Cut down on your drink. As noted before, alcohol is one of the risk factors. If you drink, just make sure to do it only in moderation.
  2. Don’t smoke! If you are a smoker, reducing the risk of bowel cancer can be another reason to stop smoking.
  3. Maintain your weight with a well-balanced diet and regular exercise.
  4. Get plenty of dietary fiber.
  5. Keep active with regular exercise.

Should you take a screening test for this disease? If so, when you should take it?

The screening test itself is not the treatment and will not cure the disease. But so far, it is effective to help early catch the existence the cancer.

In general, this screening is usually suggested for people aged 60 or older. But if you have some or many risk factors of colon cancer, your doctor may ask you to take it earlier.

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