Health News Share Email Print Colorectal cancer: Watch for these potential signs Getting screened is the best way to find colorectal early—before it causes symptoms, which is when it’s often more treatable. But it’s also important to see your doctor if you notice any of these potential colorectal cancer warning signs. Signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer A change in bowel habits, such as ongoing diarrhea, constipation or narrowing of stools. Blood in the stool or very dark or black stools. A feeling of incomplete bowel emptying. Abdominal pain or cramps. Feeling very weak or tired. Losing weight without trying. Ask your doctor if it’s time to be screened for colorectal cancer. You can choose from different tests, including some you can take at home. Learn about your options. Reviewed 2/20/2024 Sources American Cancer Society. "Colorectal Cancer Signs and Symptoms." https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/signs-and-symptoms.html. American Society of Clinical Oncology. "Colorectal Cancer: Symptoms and Signs." https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/colorectal-cancer/symptoms-and-signs. Related stories Health information main Health tools go Select a health topic ADHD Aging Alcohol use disorder Allergies Alternative medicine Alzheimer's disease Arthritis Asthma Babies Backs Bladder Bones Brain Breast cancer Cancer Cancer prevention Caregiving Cervical cancer Children and parenting Cholesterol Colds Colorectal cancer Coronavirus Dental care Depression Diabetes Disaster preparedness Down syndrome Ears Eating disorders Emergencies End of life/Palliative care Environmental health Epilepsy Eyes Fall prevention Family and relationships Feet Fitness and exercise Flu Food safety Hair Headache Health assessments Health calculators Healthcare Heart attack Heart health Hepatitis Hernia High blood pressure Hips HIV/AIDS Holiday health Hormones Imaging Incontinence Joints Kidneys Knees Leukemia Liver Lung cancer Lungs Medications Men's health Menopause Mental health Multiple sclerosis Nails Nose Nutrition Obesity Oral cancer Ovaries Pain Parkinson's disease Pets Pneumonia Pregnancy Prostate cancer Rehabilitation Reproductive health Safety School health Sexuality Sexually transmitted infections Skin Skin cancer Sleep Smoking Sports injuries Stomach pain Stress and anxiety Stroke Substance use disorder Summer safety Surgery Teen health Throat Thyroid Travel Vaccines Vascular health Violence Vitamins and supplements Weight management Winter health Women's health Workplace health Wound care i Providers Gastroenterology Internal Medicine Medical Oncology Hematology and Oncology Family Medicine i Services Colonoscopy Services Research and Clinical Trials Radiation Therapy Chemotherapy Cancer Center RSS If you have questions or comments, please contact Randolph Health. Problems reading or opening a page? Legal restrictions and terms of use applicable to this site.