Symptoms
The symptoms of left-sided colonic carcinoma include:
- change in bowel habit due to obstruction
- cycle of alternating constipation and diarrhoea: constipation from the hold-up of faeces at the site of the tumour, which then liquefies and the patient develops spurious, offensive diarrhoea
- lower left abdominal pain: initially, a mild abdominal colic or ache, which after some weeks or months, becomes persistent with severe colicky exacerbations
- a lump in the left iliac fossa or localized tenderness
- painful micturition and change in frequency indicating involvement of the bladder
- darkly-coloured faeces streaked with blood, often containing mucus
Less commonly:
- loss of weight then anorexia
- rectal bleeding and iron deficient anaemia
- tenesmus
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