Early-stage colorectal cancer is often missed due to misdiagnosis. Many patients disregard warning signs such as rectal bleeding, tenesmus, and anal discomfort, mistaking them for common hemorrhoids. This leads to delays in diagnosing early colorectal cancer—a dangerous disease that can be effectively treated if detected in time.
Rectal polyps are common lesions in middle-aged and elderly individuals, originating from the mucosal lining of the large intestine. Among them, adenomatous polyps carry a high risk of progressing to colorectal cancer if not properly identified and treated.
In the early stages, most polyps are asymptomatic. However, symptoms such as bright red rectal bleeding, persistent tenesmus, and altered bowel habits may suggest lesion progression. Unfortunately, these symptoms are frequently mistaken for hemorrhoidal disease, leading to self-medication and missed opportunities for early cancer detection.
At the Department of General Surgery, Nam Can Tho University Hospital, a 60-year-old female patient was admitted with prolonged rectal bleeding and anal pain during defecation. She had previously self-treated for several months as if she had hemorrhoids, using suppositories and stool softeners, without improvement.
On specialized examinations, doctors identified a polypoid mass located 5 cm from the anal verge, approximately 3 cm in size, and prone to bleeding. After colonoscopy and biopsy, the result confirmed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma.
The patient was immediately indicated for transanal tumor resection, along with intraoperative frozen section biopsy. Results revealed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma arising from a rectal polyp, a precancerous lesion that had progressed to early-stage rectal cancer. Fortunately, the resection margins were free of cancer cells.
Dr. Tran Hieu Nhan, MSc, Specialist Level II, Head of the Department of General Surgery, Nam Can Tho University Hospital, stated that if the patient had continued treating it as common hemorrhoids, the cancer could have been missed and the tumor would have invaded deeper, requiring major surgery and far more complex treatment.
Dr. Nhan emphasized that any patient presenting with rectal bleeding, especially those over 50 years old, should undergo gastrointestinal endoscopy or consult a specialist as early as possible. Misdiagnosis due to self-treatment or reliance on folk remedies is the leading cause of missed cancer cases.
According to GLOBOCAN 2022, colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in Vietnam, but it is also one of the most detectable and preventable, especially through routine gastrointestinal endoscopy. No symptom should be ignored if it is persistent or abnormal. Do not self-medicate; seek specialist care at the appropriate time. That is how you protect yourself from serious diseases.
