I thought my colon cancer was a hemorrhoid… here’s how to tell the difference
A New Yorker went to the doctor with what he thought were hemorrhoids, only to be told he had advanced cancer.
Joshua Sanchez, now 38, of Harlem, first became concerned when he noticed blood appearing in his stool in 2021.
But after visiting doctors at Mount Sinai, scans revealed he had stage four colon cancer that had also spread to his liver – where it is deadly.
Doctors warn hemorrhoids — or nodules or swelling of the veins in the anus — and colon cancer can cause similar symptoms, making the latter difficult to catch in its early stages.
He is now raising awareness about the cancer so others don’t have to go through the same ordeal.
Joshua Sanchez, 38, of East Harlem in New York City, went to doctors after blood kept appearing in his stool. He thought it was hemorrhoids, but the freelance artist discovered that he was actually suffering from stage four colon cancer. (pictured above with his mother)
Colon cancer can cause you to have blood in your stool, a change in bowel habits, a lump in your bowel that can cause an obstruction. Some people also suffer weight loss as a result of these symptoms
However, colon cancer causes different warning signs than hemorrhoids, including diarrhea, frequent cramping, and unexplained weight loss.
Each year, approximately 100,000 Americans are diagnosed with colon cancer and there are approximately 56,000 deaths each year.
The American Cancer Society warns that rates of the disease are rising in younger age groups, with the number of those under 55 diagnosed with the disease having doubled over the past 25 years. The age group is now lagging behind at one in five cases.
Alarmed by the trend, US health officials are now recommending that Americans begin cancer screening at age 45, lower than the previously recommended age of 50.
The disease is the third most deadly cancer in the United States, with about 63 percent of patients surviving more than five years after diagnosis.
The problem is how difficult it is to detect in the earliest stages. It can grow without causing any symptoms and among those who do get symptoms they are often so common that they are dismissed as other things.
Mr. Sanchez, who is also deaf, told Today through an interpreter: ‘At first I thought I had a hemorrhoid.
‘[But] I felt like something was still wrong because I noticed some blood.”
He opened his story to urge others, especially those who are deaf, to get checked if they have a health problem.
Mr. Sanchez went to the doctor in 2021 after becoming concerned, and underwent an endoscopy and colonoscopy, which revealed two masses in his colon and liver.
Biopsies were taken that confirmed he had stage four colon cancer.
The patient underwent surgery to remove the tumors and then received a three-week course of chemotherapy.
But during a procedure to administer the treatment to his liver, his arms became numb and difficult to move.
Mr Sanchez, who relies on sign language to talk to others, said: ‘I couldn’t communicate at all. I had a very hard time in the hospital.’
He was discharged but returned in 2022 after multiple lesions were discovered on his liver that raised cancer concerns.
Doctors treated this using radiation and gave him instructions through a virtual reality headset that showed someone in sign language what to do.
Mr. Sanchez has yet to be declared cancer-free.
He is currently undergoing radiation to treat injuries to his pelvis. After that, doctors will run more tests to find out if his cancer has stopped growing.
He added, “We’re Latino so we don’t really focus on our health and we don’t talk about that and we don’t talk about vulnerabilities a lot. So it is a serious matter that needs to be communicated more.’
Hemorrhoids affect about half of Americans at some point in their lives.
They are usually caused by extra pressure on the anus, probably from straining during bowel movements, constipation, heavy lifting, prolonged standing and aging. They can also be caused by pregnancy.
In comparison, bowel cancer – or bowel cancer in the UK – is typically seen as an ‘old man’s disease’ that is normally not noticed until someone is over 55 years old.
The number of colon cancer cases has increased in adults aged 20 to 49 years. Scientists say more than 40 percent of diagnoses are made by people between the ages of 45 and 49.
Dr. Ryan Williams, an oncologist at Bayfront Health in New Jersey, previously explained the warning signs of hemorrhoids.
“A stool with blood, small lumps near the anal opening, or pain can be serious,” he said.
“In most cases, the problem can be traced back to a benign condition called hemorrhoids.
“But sometimes those same symptoms can indicate the onset of colorectal cancer, the third leading cause of cancer death.”
Here are the early warning signs of colon cancer:
Blood in stool
The most common early warning sign of colon cancer is blood in a person’s stool.
The blood can also be caused by damage to the rectum or hemorrhoids. But doctors recommend that if someone often finds red in the toilet, they should get checked out.
Colon cancer usually begins in the mucous membrane, or inner mucosa, of the intestine.
But as the tumor forms, it can damage the blood vessels lining the colon, which can lead to bleeding. As stool passes through the colon, it can mix with the blood, causing blood to appear in the toilet bowl.
Tears can also appear on the tumor itself, which can also lead to bleeding that then mixes with stool.
In some cases, blood in the stool can also cause it to turn a very dark color instead of red. Doctors say this should not be overlooked.
Change in bowel habits
Shifts in how often a person should use the bathroom can also be a warning sign of colon cancer.
People with the disease may suddenly go to the toilet less often.
They may also experience prolonged constipation or diarrhea or have ‘pencil-shaped’ stools.
These shifts occur because the tumor narrows a person’s rectum, making it harder to go to the bathroom more regularly and interfering with digestion.
Cold hands and feet
Sudden cold hands and feet could also be a warning sign of cancer, doctors say.
People with cancer often deal with anemia, a condition where not enough oxygen-rich blood cells travel through the body.
This happens because they often bleed into the rectum, depleting the blood supply in the body.
The reduction leads the body to save blood for the internal organs and send less to the extremities – the hands and feet – causing the temperature to drop.
Stomach ache
Doctors say that people with colon cancer may also experience dull and constant pain in their abdomen.
This happens because as the tumor grows, it begins to push against a person’s organs, bones, nerves, and other tissues.
Abdominal pain is one of the most obvious signs of cancer and doctors will immediately warn patients who experience it to get checked.
Unexplained weight loss
Another sign of cancer is losing weight without expecting it, doctors say.
As the tumor grows, it can disrupt the way the body processes food and cause them to get fewer calories from food. This means they burn more calories per day, leading to weight loss.
The cancer can also speed up a person’s metabolism by turbocharging the immune system to fight the cancer, further boosting weight loss.
Digestive problems can also cause a person to eat less than usual.