Colon cancer is often called a “silent” disease because it usually develops without any obvious warning signs. Many people don’t know what it actually looks like inside the colon or how early changes begin. Dr Joseph Salhab, a gastroenterologist and health content creator from Florida, specialising in digestion, liver, pancreas and nutrition, shares in his December 8 Instagram post what colon cancer really looks like and the symptoms that should never be ignored.
What does a healthy colon look like
Dr Salhab begins by showing what a healthy colon should look like. “This is what a colon should look like. It's fairly uniform in colour, the surface looks smooth, there’s no abnormal growth or inflammation there,” he explained. But cancer doesn’t start suddenly it, begins with tiny, harmless-looking polyps.
“We think that most cancers in the colon start off as little polyps or growths. They can start off super small, but if left in your colon long enough, they tend to get bigger and bigger,” he said.
Over the years, that small polyp can become significantly larger. “After a few years, that small polyp can start looking like this,” he added, showing how it grows into a large mass that begins to interfere with normal bowel function.
How do polyps turn into colon cancer
As these growths expand, they can cause several symptoms. According to Dr Salhab, “It starts causing problems like abdominal pain, bleeding, a change in bowel habits resulting in constipation or more frequent bowel movements because the stool is trying to make its way past it and you’re not really emptying your colon the way you should.”
The good news? When discovered early, these polyps are completely treatable. “The key is to catch it when it’s small like this because it’s easily removable and curable, and it will never turn into cancer once it’s removed,” he emphasised.
Gastroenterologists can remove these polyps during a routine colonoscopy, often during the same appointment in which they’re discovered. “We have tools we can use in the colonoscopy to turn something like this and remove it, and we can close up the little cut after we remove it, and then your colon is as good as new,” Dr Salhab explained.
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This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.