Recurring Abdominal Pain

Lower abdominal pain and bleeding into the stools can be signs of colon cancer. Because you are old enough to be at increased risk for colon cancer, you must be evaluated for this problem before most other diagnoses are considered.

These symptoms can also result from intense inflammation in the bowel.

Because of your bleeding, it is imperative that you have a medical evaluation without delay. Please call your doctor today to arrange an urgent evaluation.

Your evaluation should include a colonoscopy, a test that can view the inside of your colon.

If your colon is not found to contain a cancer, other diagnoses that are likely to be considered include

• abdominal angina and bowel infarction (a form of atherosclerosis)

• antibiotic-associated diarrhea (colitis)

• Crohn's disease

• diverticulosis

• stomach cancer

• ulcerative colitis.