Tummy Troubles: Could it be IBS, Colon Cancer or Something Else?

Fast Facts

  • Colorectal cancer (CRC), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) share many of the same symptoms and can be confused for each other.
  • After CRC and IBD are ruled out using lab tests or colonoscopy, IBS can be diagnosed if symptoms come and go for at least 6 months.
  • IBS does not increase a person’s risk of colorectal cancer but IBD such as Crhohn’s or ulcerative colitis does increase the risk of CRC. It’s important to find out what’s causing your stomach problems so you know if you’re at increased risk of developing CRC.

Everyone has experienced gut troubles like abdominal pain, bloating and bowel changes at least once in their life. The problem usually goes away in a day or two. But what if the symptoms stick around for days on end? Or weeks? How do you know if what’s going on inside your belly is something  you need to check into? Many things can cause tummy troubles, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC).The symptoms of IBS, IBD and CRC overlap. A lot!  Let’s take a look at each of these conditions and how to tell them apart.

Symptoms of IBS

There’s no test for IBS. Doctors can’t look at the gut with an X-ray or colonoscopy and tell if it’s IBS causing your discomfort.The symptoms of IBS can overlap with many other conditions including IBD, an ovarian cyst, food poisoning, a simple stomach bug and even colon cancer.  But, time is the critical factor in diagnosing IBS. IBS is diagnosed when a person has the following symptoms on and off for at least six months:

  • +/-Constipation
  • +/-Diarrhea
  • Abdominal pain
  • Abdominal bloating
  • Mucus in your stool
  • Feeling like you haven’t finished a bowel movement
  • Symptoms improve after a bowel movement

Doctors will need to rule out more serious diseases like cancer and IBD before diagnosing IBS. It’s important to remember that although IBS can impact quality of life, it doesn’t carry an increased risk of developing colon or rectal cancer.

Symptoms of IBD

Inflammatory bowel disease is a medical term for chronic inflammation of the bowel. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC) are the main types of IBD. Doctors aren’t sure what causes IBD to start with, but there seems to be a genetic component and also an immune component. IBD tends to be a lifelong condition once it’s diagnosed.

The symptoms of IBD are similar to IBS. In addition, people with IBD may also experience:

  • Anemia
  • Bloody stools
  • Fatigue
  • Weight loss

Unlike IBS, doctors can diagnose IBD some of these tools:

  • Endoscopy for Crohn’s disease
  • Colonoscopy for UC
  • Radiology studies like CT or MRI
  • Stool sample
  • Blood tests

IBD can have a serious impact on a person’s quality of life. And because of the chronic inflammation, it increases a person’s risk of developing colon or rectal cancer. As a matter of fact, IBD is one of the risk factors for CRC.

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Symptoms of CRC

The most common symptom of CRC is no symptom at all. But when symptoms are present, they can be similar to IBS and IBD, including:

  • Changes in bowel habits
  • Vomiting
  • Tiredness
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Abdominal discomfort
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation
  • Blood in the stool

And recently, skinny stools have been recognized as an indication of potential colon cancer. If you notice that you have very narrow bowel movements for a week or more, talk to your doctor right away.

Why is it important to know if it is IBS, IBD, or colon cancer?

The most obvious reason that it’s important to know what’s causing your abdominal discomfort is that CRC is curable when caught early. Without proper treatment, colon and rectal cancers are almost always fatal. The proper treatment can also make IBS and IBD more tolerable and significantly improve a person’s quality of life. The treatment for each of these is different, so it’s important to recognize which condition you’re dealing with. Early and appropriate treatment can make a huge difference in the outcome.

The Bottom Line

There are myriad reasons to have stomach problems in the modern world. While some of them go away on their own, more serious issues persist and even get worse with time. The good news is that when even serious medical problems, like colon cancer, are caught early, they can be treated and oftentimes cured. By running some tests or doing a procedure, your doctor can help determine if your tummy troubles are due to colon cancer or something less worrisome. The only way to know for sure is to get checked out. Check it for the ones you love. CheckIt4Andretti.


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