How can one tell the difference between bleeding from piles or colon cancer?

Piles’ bleeding often occurs after passing motion and typically presents with bright red blood.

It should be noted that colon cancer seldom bleeds with visible blood in the stools until it is very advanced (that is why the stool tests are used to detect unseen blood in the stools), or if the tumour is situated very near the anus.

A very common scenario faced by patients is that of an “asymptomatic” colon cancer (i.e. no obvious symptoms and no visible blood seen in the stools) with piles. They often ignore or mistake their symptoms as being “due to piles” resulting in a delayed diagnosis of their cancer.

There are no “early warning signs” of colon cancer. By the time the signs and symptoms occur, it is often in a late stage. Get screened before your symptoms develop.

To understand more about getting a colonoscopy in Singapore, read The Complete Guide To Colonoscopies In Singapore (2018).

Bleeding piles tend to present as fresh blood at the beginning or end of passing stools. The bleeding is painless and the stools are not mixed with the blood. Bleeding from colorectal cancer tends to present as blood mixed with the stools.

Sometimes, there is mucus mixed with the blood-stained stools as well. it is important for you to understand that piles and colorectal cancer can occur at the same time in a patient.

That is why you should consult a doctor when you have blood in your stools.

Your doctor can determine whether there is any suspicion of colorectal cancer and whether further tests are warranted.