Rectal Cancer Warning Signs Anaemia & Blood in Stool | Dr. Rajshekhar C Jaka | Manipal Hospitals

Duration: 3:33 500 transcript words EN summary

Video summary

Dr. Rajshekhar C Jaka from Manipal Hospitals highlights two critical warning signs of rectal cancer that are frequently misdiagnosed as benign conditions, leading to dangerous delays in treatment. The first major issue is anemia, which often results from chronic blood loss caused by a tumor in the large intestine or rectum. Many patients mistakenly attribute their low hemoglobin levels to nutritional deficiencies and rely on iron or vitamin syrups, sometimes even undergoing blood transfusions without investigating the underlying cause. This approach fails to address the root problem, allowing the disease to progress unnoticed while the patient focuses solely on managing symptoms rather than seeking a proper diagnosis. The second common misconception involves bleeding in the stool, which patients often assume is caused by piles or hemorrhoids. Consequently, individuals frequently self-medicate with over-the-counter ointments or seek treatment from unqualified practitioners for months or even years without relief. Dr. Jaka emphasizes that time is of the essence in cancer management; every month lost while treating a non-existent condition allows the cancer to advance from an early, curable stage to a late, life-threatening one. The core message is that patients should not fear cancer itself but rather fear the advanced stage it reaches due to lack of awareness and delayed detection, as cancers detected in stages one or two are highly treatable and curable. For individuals over the age of forty who present with unexplained anemia, specifically a hemoglobin level below 10, or those suffering from persistent bleeding thought to be piles, Dr. Jaka strongly advises immediate evaluation for tumors in the large intestine and rectum. If a tumor is detected, the treatment strategy depends heavily on its staging and whether it has spread to lymph nodes or other organs. In cases involving middle or lower rectum tumors where lymph nodes are involved, a combined approach involving radiation therapy followed by surgery often yields better results than immediate surgery alone. These nuanced differences in medical management significantly impact patient outcomes, underscoring the importance of consulting a qualified cancer surgeon early on. Ultimately, the video serves as a call to action for anyone experiencing these specific symptoms to seek professional help from a specialized oncologist rather than relying on alternative medicines or delaying care. The doctor reassures that if the evaluation reveals no cancer, it is a positive outcome, but if cancer is found, early intervention ensures the best possible management and survival rates. By prioritizing awareness and seeking timely medical guidance, patients can avoid the pitfalls of misdiagnosis and ensure that they receive the most effective treatment plan tailored to their specific condition before the disease progresses further.

Read the full video transcript

Hi. I'll speak about rectal cancer. part which is at the end of our large intestine. So, what happens is many times this is a common mistake like anemia. Anemia means there will be loss of blood and their hemoglobin will be coming down, but patients will keep on taking some vitamin syrup, some iron syrup, and they'll be correcting. Sometimes even they go up to the extent of getting blood transfusion done. But, they never look at the cause why they are having this anemia. The second thing is whenever they have some bleeding in the stool, they feel that it is a piles. So, it's a common mistake. And majority of the times they take their own medications for the piles, or else they go to a quack and they start applying some ointment, some treatment, and this goes on for 6 months, 1 year, like that. In cancer, time is very crucial. If you lose that time, the cancer proceeds from first stage to fourth stage. So, it is the early detection which makes the difference. It is not the cancer you should be afraid of. It is the stage you should be afraid of because all cancers in stage one, stage two are curable just like any other disease. So, if at all you come in stage four, only then there is a risk of losing the life. That is why I say always it is the awareness which is most important. So, what has happened is so many doctors may be treating this piles and all that, piles, fistula, fissures, what we say, and rather than allopathic, they go for alternative type of medicines and they lose their 1 year, 2 years of time. Meanwhile, it progresses. So, any patient who is more than 40 years, having anemia, hemoglobin which is less than 10, and a person having piles or hemorrhoids, what we call, they should be evaluated for any growth or any tumor in the large intestine, including the rectum. In that case, if it is there, then we usually decide first depending upon the staging. Whether it is limited, whether it has spread to lymph nodes, whether it has spread to some other organs. And majority of the times, middle and lower rectum tumors, if it is little bit away from the rectum, it has gone and some lymph nodes are seen, we always give radiation first and then operate, then the results are good rather than going and directly operating. So, all these small differences in treatment will make lot of difference for the patients' outcome. That is why I urge all these people with these symptoms to contact the qualified cancer surgeon so that they will be able to guide you better. In case if it is not a cancer, then we are very happy. But, in case unfortunately, if it is a cancer, that needs to be better managed because it is always the first treatment is the best treatment.