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A 39-year-old male asked:

Dr.please does all bleeding from anus when passing stool mean colon cancer?? could it be haemorrhoids or fissures,i strain due to hard stools.for past months,when i excrete,it drips blood,i adjusted my diet,i now excrete soft stool but still bleed?

1 doctor answer1 doctor weighed in
Dr. James Ferguson
Pediatrics 48 years experience
Basics: Bright red blood originates from near the outlet.Dark red to purple blood originates from further up. Black stools could be from as high as the stomach.The most common reason for bloody stools as a tear in the outlet from hard or lumpy stools.These reopen easily & can take a while to heal.I would not assume a rare cause is present (cancer) but your doc can sort it out, sometimes with a simple exam
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Last updated Jan 30, 2021

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