Colorectal Cancer
Known Symptoms
- Early-stage: Often asymptomatic.
- Advanced symptoms:
- Change in bowel habits (diarrhea/constipation).
- Rectal bleeding or blood in stool.
- Abdominal pain, cramps, or unexplained weight loss.
- Iron-deficiency anemia (due to chronic blood loss).
- Red flags:
- Bowel obstruction symptoms (nausea, vomiting, inability to pass stool).
- Palpable abdominal mass.
Known Causes
- Etiology:
- Genetic factors (e.g., Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis).
- Chronic inflammation (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease).
- Lifestyle factors (diet high in red/processed meat, low fiber, smoking, alcohol). Age (>50 years increases risk).
- Pathophysiology:
- Most cases arise via the adenoma carcinoma sequence, involving mutations in tumor suppressor genes (APC, p53) and oncogenes (KRAS).
- Mismatch repair deficiencies contribute to microsatellite instability.
Care
- Prevention: Regular screening from age 45–50 (earlier for high-risk groups).
- Lifestyle modifications:
- High-fiber diet, limited red/processed meat, exercise, smoking cessation.
- Aspirin/NSAIDs considered for high-risk individuals under medical guidance.
- Follow-up:
- Surveillance colonoscopy (frequency based on risk).
- Periodic imaging and CEA monitoring for treated patients.
- Long-term monitoring for recurrence or new primaries.
- Early-stage: Often asymptomatic.
- Advanced symptoms:
- Change in bowel habits (diarrhea/constipation).
- Rectal bleeding or blood in stool.
- Abdominal pain, cramps, or unexplained weight loss.
- Iron-deficiency anemia (due to chronic blood loss).
- Red flags:
- Bowel obstruction symptoms (nausea, vomiting, inability to pass stool).
- Palpable abdominal mass.
Featured Specialities
Our Speciality Services
Oncology
Our Cancer Center offers comprehensive, multidisciplinary cancer care within a quaternary hospital setting, ensuring that every form of therapy and supportive service is available under one roof. With dedicated departments in Medical, Surgical, Radiation and Hemato-Oncology, Nuclear Medicine, Genomics and Palliative Care, our experienced teams deliver evidence-based, personalised treatment through advanced technologies such as linear accelerators, PET-CT, NGS-based precision oncology, CAR-T therapy and bone marrow transplantation. Every patient’s case is reviewed by a multi-specialty tumour board to design an individualised, multimodality treatment plan, supported by outpatient daycare chemotherapy, advanced radiotherapy techniques, minimally invasive surgeries and targeted nuclear therapies. From early detection and screening to rehabilitation, survivorship and end-of-life care, we focus not only on treating cancer but on delivering compassionate, coordinated and patient-centred care at every stage.
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