comparison of symptoms with respect to site of lesion

Last reviewed 10/2022

The symptoms of colorectal cancer vary with respect to site of the tumour. Some general features associated with tumours are:

• right sided tumours - often are painful, palpable mass in 70%, rectal bleeding in 20%
• left sided tumours - change in bowel habit in 60%, palpable mass in 40%, pain less frequent feature
• rectal - change in bowel habit commonest presenting feature, bleeding in 60%, rarely associated with pain