A doctor has spoken out about the subtle sign of cancer that could mean a person is bleeding internally.
One in two men and one in three women in the US will develop cancer in their lifetime, while one in five men and one in six for women will die of the disease.
That’s according to the American Cancer Society; so it’s important to be able to identify signs of cancer, which Dr Robin Clark has done for us – revealing the subtle sign of cancer that could mean you are bleeding internally.
So, without further ado, let’s get into what the medical director at Bupa Health Insurance has said.
He spoke to Express.co.uk in a bid to raise awareness of bowel cancer, which is sadly on the rise amongst young people.
“Weight loss is less common than some of the other symptoms, but bowel cancer can prevent you from being able to absorb all the nutrients from your food,” Dr Clark shared.
“You might not feel like eating if you feel sick, bloated or if you just don’t feel hungry.”
The medical professional also described how bowel cancer causes changes to your stool, even early on.
“Changes in the color, shape, and texture of your poo that last longer than a few days can reveal signs of infection, digestive issues or more serious problems, such as cancer,” he explained.
“Although persistent constipation can be a sign of bowel cancer – having looser stools or feeling the need to go to the toilet more frequently is a more common symptom.
“Other symptoms can include boating, abdominal pain or mucus in the poo.”
Dr Clark contined: “Though your toilet habits might make you feel uncomfortable, being in tune with your bowels could be a life saver.
“The most common things to look out for are changes to your toilet habits or poo.
“If you have black or dark red poo, or bloody diarrhoea, you should see your GP [general practitioner, which is a PCP in the US] urgently.”
Patients suffering with bowel cancer might also experience anemia, which is when you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body to its tissues. This is because they may be bleeding internally from the tumor.
He revealed: “There are several more subtle symptoms to look out for. A diagnosis of anaemia may be a sign that you’re bleeding internally, even if you haven’t noticed blood in your poo.
“The lack of iron in the body can leave you feeling tired.”
Dr Clark added: “Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers, so it’s vital to speak to a medical professional if you notice symptoms.
“If anything doesn’t look or feel right, or you’ve noticed an unexplained change of some sort, it’s crucial that you seek medical help immediately, no matter what your age.”
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.
