Colon cancer is the type of cancer that starts in the colon, which is the last part of the digestive tract. Although colon cancer is known to affect older individuals, it can occur at all ages. Polyps, small noncancerous clumps of cells, are formed on the inside of the colon, which later becomes colon cancer. This is how this disease forms.

Let us have a look at the signs and stages of colon cancer.

• Signs
  Typically, colon cancer does not give a lot of signs and symptoms in the early stages, and, thus, identifying the signs and stages of colon cancer is a little tricky. Following screening recommendation is very important and extremely beneficial. Like any other kind of cancer, the chances of treatment being simple and successful increase if colon cancer is detected in the earlier stages.

Even if there are not many symptoms at the very early stage, symptoms might show that the cancer increases in size. Although some deformities can be observed, one cannot say that there are indications of colon cancer. Some of the most common forms of colon cancer include the following:

• A definite change in bowel habits
• Pencil-thin or narrow stools
• Regular diarrhea or constipation
• Rectal bleeding or blood in the stool, which may appear either as bright red or dark red
• Cramps, bloating, and reports of other abdominal pain or discomfort
• A constant feeling that bowel is not being emptied properly
• Weight loss without any reason
• Weakness and tiredness

While the symptoms are common for most people, the frequency and intensity of the symptoms may vary depending on the stage of colon cancer. As a precaution note, one should visit the doctor as soon as any of these symptoms show up in any way.

• Stages
  The disease is classified and assigned to different stages for better medical understanding. The stage may be based on the structure of cancer or how far it has spread from the source. The following are the stages.
  • Stage 0: In this stage, the cancer has not grown away from the mucosa; it is the earliest stage of colon cancer.
  • Stage 1: In this stage, the cancer, which originated in the inner layer known as the mucosa, has spread out to the next layer of the colon, and this layer is known as the submucosa. However, there is no exposure to the lymph nodes.
  • Stage 2A: The cancer has grown to the outer layers but has not gone through to the lymph nodes.
  • Stage 2B: The cancer has reached the visceral peritoneum but is still not in the lymph nodes. The visceral peritoneum is responsible for holding abdominal organs in place.
  • Stage 2C: The cancer has grown to nearby organs but not in lymph nodes yet.
  • Stage 3A: The cancer has grown to the nearby lymph nodes, but only to the nearby ones. The distant nodes are not affected.
  • Stage 3B: The cancer is found in 1-3 nearby lymph nodes.
  • Stage 3C: Cancer is now found in more than 4 nearby lymph nodes.
  • Stage 4: In this stage, the cancer has spread to other distant sites, including the liver, lungs, and the like.