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What Causes Rectal Bleeding When Diagnosed With Rectal Cancer?

Posted on Thu, 6 Jul 2017

Question: please help me I am scared. My mum was diagnosed last Wednesday with rectal cancer she 66. Mum has rectal bleeding and looks pale otherwise she is fine. Mum had a CT Scan and MRI Scan which has shown the cancer has not spread. They said this is good news. The treatment plan is chemo with radiotherapy then leave mum for 8 weeks and then they will remove the tumour. Does this sound like a good plan to you? We never asked what stage the cancer was what does it sound like to you? They say mum has a 95% cure rate. I am so scared that they are not operating soon. It won't spread will it? Thank you for your help

Answered by Dr. Rudina Balliu (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Right treatment plan

Detailed Answer:
Hello!Thank you for asking HealthCareMagic.
I have hone through your question and i understand your concerns about you mother's health.

Yes it is a very good news that the cancer has not spread,means the cancer is in early stages and the chance of survival are very high.

Could be stage 1 or 2 but since i can't see the CT -scan report ,can't say for sure so would be good to ask her doctor next time to be sure, he /she will explain your more.

She is in the right treatment plan :chemotherapy +radiotherapy and after - surgery.

When a patient has cancer does not mean that surgery should be the first one on the line .Both chemotherapy and radiotherapy are very effective and will shrink the cancer(the cancer will not spread ) and make the surgery more effective and less radical sometimes.

So don't worry she is in the right hands, the treating doctors know what to do,will do follow ups as it is neccesary and you can ask them for every concerns you may have regarding to your mother's health.
Hope you find the information helpful.
Wish your mother good health!
Dr Balliu.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Rudina Balliu (7 hours later)

it will take 2 to 3 weeks for treatment to start I worry cancer will spread in time will it? They did say mum has had the cancer for quite some time

Answered by Dr. Rudina Balliu (35 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
The time is neccesary to be prepared before starting the treatment

Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
The time 2-3weeks its necessary for her to get ready before she starts the treatment.

She has to do some blood tests, check her heart, kidney and other organs... to be sure that her body is ready.
Most of the rectal cancer grow slowly, that is why you can have it for some time and be in early stages( this is a positive thing ) .

I don't think the cancer will spread around during this 2-3weeks so don't worry.

Take Care !

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana

Follow up: Dr. Rudina Balliu (23 minutes later)

Thank you last question if you start to bleed a bit more is this normal and then it seems to settle. Why after chemo and radium do they leave you 2 months before operation. Sorry for all questions I am really scared

Answered by Dr. Rudina Balliu (30 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Recovery time is needed in between

Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Thank you for follow up .You are welcome to ask, i'm glad to help you.

Bleeding is cause of the cancer vascularisation, blood vessels that are in the surface breaks down and in results she has bleeding.Sometimes she can have more bleeding, sometimes settle down, it's part of the symptoms .

Usually the surgery is performed within 5-8 weeks after the treatment is stoped so 2 months is a good time
.It is like that because the body needs time to recover from chemo-radiotherapy , again the doctors need to do further evaluations/examinations to see how the therapy worked( how much the cancer has shrinked ), to build up a surgey plan .

These treatments ( chemo-radiotherapy ) are strong ones and have side effects, they kill the normal cells also.

Hope it was helpful.
Dr Balliu

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng

Follow up: Dr. Rudina Balliu (5 minutes later)

you do see mum have a good prognosis. When going through treatment can mum have visitors I am worried about infection risk. Mum is have chemo tablet

Answered by Dr. Rudina Balliu (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
She should not be in contact with visitors that have an infection

Detailed Answer:
Hello!
One of the side effect of chemo-radiotherapy is to make the imune sistem weaker by effecting the White blood cells .
So yes would be good that visitors with an infection ( viral infection bacterial infection or any other kind of infection ) not to be in closse contact with her.It's important for her to eat healthy and to do blood test so the doctor can monitor her imune system.

Take Care!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Rudina Balliu (4 hours later)

you do see this has a good prognosis?

Answered by Dr. Rudina Balliu (18 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yes

Detailed Answer:
Hello !
I can see a good prognosis , especially when the cancer is in the early stages ( has not spread in other organs).
Let's hope the chemo-radiotherapy and surgery will have the maximum result on cancer.

Wish your mother good luck on the treatment.
Dr Balliu

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad