MSI Press Blog

  Poop is one of the body’s earliest alarm systems, and different cancers can alter stool in different ways. Pencil‑thin stool is the classic red flag for colon cancer, but it’s far from the only pattern worth knowing about. The changes below come from how tumors block, bleed, or interfere with digestion and bile flow. 1. Colon & Rectal Cancer Why stool changes: Tumors narrow the passageway, bleed easily, or disrupt water absorption. Key stool patterns: Pencil‑thin or ribbon‑thin stool — narrowing from a tumor blocking the lumen. Pebble‑like hard pellets — obstruction causing excess water absorption. Blood in stool Bright red → lower colon or rectum. Black/tarry → bleeding higher up. Mucus in stool — especially with mucinous tumors. Alternating constipation and diarrhea — partial obstruction. 2. Pancreatic Cancer Why stool changes: Blocked bile duct → no bile reaching the intestine; lack of pancreatic enzymes → fat malabsorption. Key stool patterns: P...

  Cancer is often spoken of as an ending. But for many, it becomes a chapter — not the whole book. A diagnosis is not always the final word. Life continues, sometimes for years, even decades, filled with purpose, creativity, and resilience. Ruth Bader Ginsburg survived multiple cancers over two decades — colon, pancreatic, and lung — while serving on the Supreme Court until age 87. What she said : “Cancer was part of my life, not the end of it.”  For other Cancer Diary posts, click  HERE . Blog editor's note: As a memorial to Carl, and simply because it is truly needed, MSI Press is now hosting a web page,  Carl's Cancer Compendium , as a one-stop starting point for all things cancer, to make it easier for those with cancer to find answers to questions that can otherwise take hours to track down on the Internet and/or from professionals. The CCC is expanded and updated weekly. As part of this effort, each week, on Monday, this blog will carry an informative, cancer-...

  Aging brings many questions about medical care, and colonoscopies are no exception. When should you start them? When should you stop? The answers aren’t as straightforward as you might think, especially when family history, anesthesia risks, and individual health concerns come into play. When to Start and Why? For most people, the recommended age to begin screening for colorectal cancer is 45 (lowered from 50 in recent years due to increasing cases in younger adults). However, if you have a strong family history—like my siblings and I, who all have had pre-cancerous polyps found at each colonoscopy—you may need to start even earlier. Doctors recommend earlier and more frequent screenings if you have: A family history of colorectal cancer or pre-cancerous polyps Certain genetic conditions like Lynch Syndrome A history of inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis) When to Stop and Why? Many doctors advise stopping colonoscopies at 75 —but is that t...

  Colon cancer continues to be better understood -- and findings show that we can do some things to prevent it. Not always, not with certitude, but definitely in some cases, colon cancer may be avoided or delayed.  I worry about our son CB. As Carl's son who is the spitting image of his father, likes the same things, including foods, and as a mentally challenged individual fights any changes to what he likes, he is, I worry, a candidate for colon cancer -- or some other kind of cancer. Carl ultimately had five kinds before he died though death came swiftly after diagnosis. As a Charge Syndrome adult, CB cannot be safely scoped. No colonoscopies mean no early detection. So, his gastroenterologist, dietician, and I are left to try to manage his diet wisely, which, of course, he fights -- but we keep at it.\ What are some of the things we have learned? Check the out here: I’m a cancer dietitian — here are 13 easy ways to lower your risk for colon cancer Nearly Half of Cancer Deat...