Harvard Doctor Flags 7 Colon Cancer Signs as Under-55 Cases Double

1 articles · Updated · The Economic Times · Aug 1

Seven warning signs — including persistent bowel changes, blood in stool, black stools, unexplained weight loss, bloating, tenesmus and iron-deficiency anemia — should prompt medical evaluation, a Harvard doctor said.
3 to 4 weeks of unexplained diarrhea, constipation or alternating bowel habits can signal a tumor disrupting stool passage, while even one episode of rectal bleeding should be checked rather than dismissed as hemorrhoids.
Unintentional weight loss, ongoing bloating and a constant feeling of incomplete evacuation can also reflect a growing colon tumor that blocks gas, alters gut bacteria or presses on the bowel wall.
Iron-deficiency anemia may be an early clue even without visible bleeding, with symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog and shortness of breath; the doctor said men and women whose anemia seems disproportionate should get colon cancer ruled out.
The warning comes as colon cancer cases are rising sharply in younger adults, with incidence in people under 55 described as doubling.