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Symptoms |
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Rectal bleeding or blood in stool.
Diarrhea or constipation.
Narrowing of stool.
Abdominal pain.
Weakness, fatigue, jaundice or poor appetite.
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Blood Tests
A complete blood count (CBC) is done to see if you are anemic. Even if you are not weakened or fatigued because of anemia, there may have been enough bleeding due to the tumor to demonstrate a low hemoglobin blood count (anemia).
Liver function tests are done to see if the cancer has spread to the liver or bone (metastasis).
Tumor markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), are elevated in some cases of colon cancer. These tests are used to help establish the diagnosis of colon cancer and to monitor for recurrence after the colon cancer is treated if tumor markers are elevated.
More on Colon Cancer Blood Analysis
First Symptoms and Diagnosis of Colon Cancer
In The Encyclopedia: Bowel resection
Colon cancer
Rectal cancer
Sigmoidoscopy
This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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