Abstract
Introduction: Colorectal cancer is the second commonest cancer arising in the world. Colorectal cancer can present with an array of symptoms and approximately 3548% of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer have experienced rectal bleeding.
Aims and objectives: The main objective of the study is to analyze the frequency of Incidental Rectal Cancer in Elderly Patients presenting with Haemorrhoids.
Material and methods: This study was conducted in hospitals of Punjab during 2018. Incidental Rectal Cancer with minimal BRBPR, was defined as small amounts of red blood after wiping or a few drops of blood in the toilet bowl after defecation. Small amounts of blood on the surface of the stool were also considered minimal BRBPR, but red blood intermixed with stool was not. All patients were interviewed and examined by a gastroenterologist. Accordingly, patients informed through written consent was obtained from each patient before placing interview according to the strategies of the local institutes.
Results: None of the patients were asymptomatic when they sought medical help, and a total of 81 patients (60%) had experienced rectal bleeding during the patient interval. Additional to rectal bleeding, the most commonly reported symptoms, i.e. symptoms reported by 20% or more of the sample, were changes in bowel habits (65%), fatigue (47%), pain (35%), weight loss (21%), and general indisposition (20%). Among the rarely reported symptoms were dizziness (13.2%), lack of appetite/nausea (11.8%) and fever (5.2%). A total of 14 (10%) patients had experienced rectal bleeding without co-occurrence of any of the other five commonly reported symptoms.
Conclusion: It is concluded that patients who had experienced rectal bleeding reported longer patient intervals compared to patients who had not experienced rectal bleeding when controlling for the influence of possible confounders and other commonly reported symptoms.