There are many possible causes for lower back pain. When you have pain in your lower back, your healthcare provider first wants to rule out common causes such as strains, sprains, and herniated discs. If a more likely cause is not found, your health care provider may also look for colon cancer.
Tumors that develop in the part of the colon near the spine can become large enough to cause back pain. However, if you have colon cancer, lower back pain is not the only symptom.
Here’s how to tell if colon cancer is causing your back pain, what you need to know about this very common cancer, and how it’s diagnosed and treated. Colleen Farrell’s personal story is one example.
Colleen Farrell, who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the age of 19 and had part of her colon removed at the age of 27, was no stranger to health problems. When she was 33 years old, she was suffering from severe back pain. Her lower back pain was initially mistaken for a sprain, but she was eventually diagnosed with stage 4 rectal cancer.
The rest of her life required multiple treatments. The chemotherapy caused Farrell to experience unpleasant physical side effects, including a burning sensation. Radiation therapy sent her into early menopause and caused psychological side effects.
Unfortunately, these treatments were unable to stop the cancer from spreading to the liver and lungs. Knowing that surgery was no longer an option, Farrell was also dealing with the loss of her mother, who was battling COPD and lung cancer. Her mother’s death added another level to the grief Farrell was experiencing.
Farrell eventually started immunotherapy (short-term IV therapy similar to chemotherapy), which was fairly new at the time. The tumor began to shrink after just two weeks. The side effects were comparable to flu symptoms and were manageable. Her two treatments in one year allowed her to live longer than her medical professionals expected.
The relative survival rate for colorectal cancer is 5 years. Although cancer robbed her of the chance to become a mother, Farrell now has more than five years left to live and hopes to live another 10 years. Her tumor is still there, but the results of her regular scans are good.
Colon cancer is a disease in which cells in the large intestine (colon) grow abnormally. It is also called colorectal cancer because it can also affect the rectum.
It is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, regardless of gender. Approximately 107,000 new infections occur annually. Cancer screening has been able to reduce these rates, primarily among older people. The number of people diagnosed with colon cancer before age 50 is actually increasing.
Some risk factors for colon cancer can be controlled, but others cannot. For example, Farrell had ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) similar to Crohn’s disease.
Chronic ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are both risk factors for colorectal cancer. If he has had any of these IBDs for more than 8 years, he may be at increased risk of developing this cancer.
A tumor forms when cancer cells begin to grow out of control. If the tumor grows large enough, it may put pressure on certain areas and cause pain. Abdominal pain is a fairly common symptom of colon cancer. That’s because most of the colon touches other abdominal organs.
Farrell had a rectal abscess that developed into a tumor. The rectum is very close to the spine, so if a tumor grows in this area, it can put enough pressure on your back to cause pain.
Back pain caused by cancer depends on where and how the tumor grows. Pain can also take on different characteristics. Ms Farrell described her pain as a very sharp stabbing pain in her back.
Farrell’s pain persisted. It gradually got worse and developed into a dull pain. She suffered from this pain while sitting, driving, and even when trying to sleep. She could not sit comfortably for more than a few minutes at a time.
Although back pain is not the most common symptom of colon cancer, it can occur, especially in cases of rectal cancer. However, back pain is accompanied by other symptoms as well.
Signs of colon cancer are not always obvious, but the following symptoms may indicate it:
- Changes in bowel habits that last more than a few days – include diarrhea, constipation, or shrinkage of stools.
- The urge to defecate does not go away even after defecating
- Blood may be present in the stool, making it dark brown or black
- Cramps or abdominal pain
- Rectal bleeding with bright red blood
- unintentional weight loss
- Feeling of weakness and fatigue
The signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer are similar to those of other diseases, such as infections, hemorrhoids, and irritable bowel syndrome. Regardless of what you think your symptoms are, you should see your health care provider right away.
Your health care provider can perform tests to detect the cause of your symptoms. Cancer screening is also important. Screening can detect precancerous polyps and therefore prevent cancer. These polyps can be removed before they develop into cancer.
If a health care provider suspects that a patient has colon cancer, multiple tests or tests may be needed to determine the cause of the symptoms.
Medical history and physical examination
Your health care provider will want to know about your risk factors for colon cancer. These include being over 50 years old, having a history of inflammatory bowel disease, and having a family history of colorectal cancer.
In addition to the health care worker feeling your abdomen, the physical exam may include a digital rectal exam. This involves a health care worker using a lubricated, gloved finger to feel inside the rectum for abnormalities.
stool test
Colon cancer can cause bleeding, and heavy bleeding over a long period of time can lead to anemia. You may or may not notice bleeding in your stool.
If necessary, your health care provider may suggest a stool test to check for blood that cannot be seen with the naked eye (occult blood). Both the fecal occult blood test and the fecal immunochemical test can be done at home.
Blood test
Blood tests can check for various markers that indicate signs of cancer. A complete blood count will tell if you have a low red blood cell count (anemia). Abnormalities in liver enzymes can be a sign that cancer has spread to the liver, but it is not enough to make a definitive diagnosis.
Colorectal cancer cells may produce tumor markers that show up in blood tests. A tumor marker called carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is most common in colorectal cancer, but this is not always the case.
Colonoscopy and proctoscopy
Colonoscopy can be used to screen for cancer by detecting changes that may be cancerous. This same procedure can be used to diagnose colon cancer.
During this test, a thin tube with a video camera at the end is inserted through the anus and into the colon. Instruments can be passed through this tube to perform biopsies and remove anything suspicious.
A proctoscopy is similar to a colonoscopy, but only the rectum is examined instead of the entire colon. This surgery is performed in cases where rectal cancer is suspected.
biopsy
A biopsy is a sample of tissue taken during an endoscopy or surgery. The samples are sent to a laboratory where changes in specific genes and proteins are evaluated. A biopsy provides information about the type of colorectal cancer.
image test
Medical imaging uses a variety of techniques to view images inside the body. These are used to examine areas suspected of having cancer, see how far the cancer has spread, determine whether treatment is working, and look for signs that the cancer has returned after treatment. can.
The types of imaging tests that can be used to detect colorectal cancer include:
Treatment for colorectal cancer depends on the stage of the cancer. The stage determines how far the cancer has spread. Colon cancer stages range from stage 0 (in the colon) to stage 4 (spread to other parts of the body).
Standard colon cancer treatments include one of seven types:
- chemical treatment: In this therapy, drugs are taken by mouth, injected into a vein, or given directly to the cancer site in the body to stop cancer cells from growing.
- Cryosurgery: Cryosurgery, also called cryotherapy, is the use of instruments to freeze and destroy abnormal tissue.
- Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy, a biological therapy, uses a patient’s own immune system to boost the body’s natural defenses against cancer.
- Radiofrequency ablation: This treatment uses a probe with small electrodes to kill cancer cells.
- Radiation therapy: High-energy x-rays and other types of radiation can kill cancer cells or stop them from growing. External radiation therapy is given by a machine outside the body. Internal radiation therapy is done by placing radioactive material inside or near the cancer.
- Surgery: This is the most common treatment for cancer at any stage. In the early stages of cancer, surgery may be used to remove small portions of tissue. At later stages, larger parts of the colon may need to be removed.
- Targeted therapy: This treatment attacks specific cancer cells and is usually less harmful to healthy cells than chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Examples include monoclonal antibodies, angiogenesis inhibitors, and protein kinase inhibitors.
People with more advanced stages of the disease (stage 3 or 4) may want to consider participating in a clinical trial. Clinical trials are essential tools for developing new treatments or improving existing treatments.
When healthcare professionals try to determine the cause of back pain, colon cancer is not often high on the list. That’s because back pain can have many causes, and abdominal pain is more common with colon cancer than back pain. However, a tumor in your rectum may be causing your lower back pain.
As you and your health care provider try to determine the cause of your illness, remember that you are your own best advocate. If something bothers you or doesn’t feel right, listen to yourself and speak up. Colorectal cancer is treatable if detected early.