If someone had bowel or stomach cancer, would it show up in blood tests or poo samples, or would scans be the only way to detect it?

[ElizabethWakefield]

My mum has had bouts of vomitting and diarrhea (mostly the latter) since about Xmas time. On a few occassions this has been accompanied by severe pain under her breast, once enough to be taken to hospital.

She had a scan when she was admitted, as they thought it was her gall bladder, but that was clear and showed everything looked fine.

She also had a full range of blood tests (all clear) and gave a poo sample (all clear).

2 weeks ago she got a full stomach and bowel (general stomach area) scan at the hospital, and yesterday she phoned her GP for the results, the receptionist said that the Dr had left for the day but that she had been trying to contact my mum several times over the course of the past week to discuss results and wants her to come in. The Dr is going to phone my mum after surgery today.

My mum is in a panic convinced she has cancer, I am worried too, but not sure if the fact that her bloods and poo were clear is a good sign.

She has had a full hysterectomy last year, so it can't be anything gynecological. Any thought or advice or experience please, that might reassure or even shed some light??

Hopeful bump.

I know that bowel cancer often does show up in poo samples - but I don't know if it would always show up.

But clear results from both the poo and blood samples make it less likely to be cancer, I'm sure. There are probably loads of other things which would cause the symptoms.

And, if it is cancer, and hasn't spread, then it may very well be completely fixable with an operation - I know with bowel cancer, they can often just take out the dodgy section and join the two ends together, and she could be good as new!

Hi Elizabeth. My DH was diagnosed with bowel cancer just before Christmas. He had had some rectal bleeding about a year before, had gone to his GP and had a sigmoydoscopy (sp) - basically a camera up the bum, which had shown that he had piles. Got cream for the chemist and it cleared up. This happened again this last October, and again piles was diagnosed by his GP, but DH had felt 'not quite right' (tired and stuff) for a while, and asked GP for a referral to the local private clinic (he has private HC through work). Doc had a look-see and thought it was just piles, but booked him in for another camera up the bum, and found a tumour in the colon wall. DH said that the nurses and doc all looked shocked as he had presented no symptoms apart from a little bleeding.

DH was given a colonoscopy and a CT scan and had a four-hour op to remove the tumour in the local (wonderful) NHS hospital three weeks later. Although his cancer was quite advanced it hadn't gone outside the colon wall so the doc is pretty sure that he should be okay. No chemo or any other treatment. He is having another CT scan next week and will be having regular CTs and colonoscopies for the next five years.

Sorry that was a long story. What I think I am trying to say is that, from our experience with bowel cancer, blood and poo samples didn't show anything. Bowel cancer is very treatable if it's caught early but, from what we have read there are often very few symptoms.

I hope your lovely mum manages to speak to her doctor today to find out what is wrong, and that her diagnosis isn't serious. I'm at work so may not be on here until later, but will check back in, so please post when you find out what is wrong with Mum. Whatever it is there will be lots of support for you on here. xx

My dad has advanced bowel cancer which didn't show up on poo samples. HOWEVER, your mum could have any one of a wide range of things, for example something like diverticulitis, that the GP would want to discuss with her in person.

I will check back later to see how you get on. Best wishes to you and your mum.

Thanks so much for your replies, she still hasn't heard anything, but is going to phone herself again in a little while, if the Dr hasn't contacted her.

Thanks for sharing your stories, it is reassuring to know that even if it was cancer, that it can be very treatable if early on.

She has never had any bleeding (that i am aware of anyway) but does have vomitting quite a lot, which is making me think it could be more stomach related than bowel, but who knows really!

I am off to look up diverticulitis. Thansk everyone for the suuport

My MIL has just had a similar scan EW. She has been ringing everyday for over a week to see if the results are in. She has had some sort of blockage which has been causing a lot of pain, but she also has had diverticulitis for about 20 years as well, which she has to manage with diet, avoiding things like seeds, some green vegetables like courgettes etc which can get trapped in the little pockets that line the bowel and get irritated.

Hope your Mum is okay.

My dad had stomach cancer. Although it was "diagnosed" when he had a barium swallow and a CT scan, he had lots of other symptoms like reflux, constant indigestion and difficulty swallowing anything but small pieces of food before he even went to the GP.
Incidentally, that was 15 years ago and he made a full recovery after surgery.

All the best for your mum.

Any news, Elizabeth?

Thanks so much everyone, sorry for not reporting back sooner, it seems that she just has a really, really bad case of gallstones and will need her gallbladder removed.

I know that's still quite serious, but we are both just relieved that it isn't cancer or anything much more serious.

Thanks everyone for sharing their experiences, I really appreciate it, and bruffin, I hope your MIL's results are ok too

Elizabeth - sorry your mum's got to have an op. but good that it wasn't anything worse, and she'll feel much better afterwards.
(I remember you saying she was poorly on a food poisoning thread)

Thanks KK Yeah, it's been the same problem ongoing for ages, so really glad to have finally got to the bottom if it.