What causes painless rectal bleeding after bowel movement?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am 21 years old. For the past ten days, I have painless rectal bleeding after a bowel movement. There is no change in my bowel habits, and my stools are normal. I do not experience any weakness and have a good appetite. Still, I am worried about the bleeding. Could it be cancer?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

1) Rectal bleeding only is not a symptom of rectal cancer. Rectal cancer has other associated symptoms such as constipation, mild pain, and decreased appetite.

2) If you experience fresh blood after passing stool, then there might be a possibility of an anal fissure.

3) If any of your family members have a history of colon or rectal cancer, then you should do the CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) level test, which is a tumor marker for colon cancer, and it will be high in case of colon or rectal cancer. Otherwise, there is no need to do this test.

I hope you are satisfied with my answer. For further queries, you can consult me at iCliniq. Thank you.