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Get ready for some potty talk.
UK surgeon, author and TikTok favorite Dr. Karan Rangarajan, also known as Dr. Karan Raj, has taken to the platform to distinguish between a common hemorrhoid symptom and an indication of possible colon cancer.
In the viral clip — which has racked up over 2.3 million views — Raj responded to another video posted by Colon Cancer Amigo detailing the bloody bathroom visits that led to his Stage 3 colon cancer diagnosis at age 32.
But viewers who’ve noticed a bit blood on their own TP may be wondering how they can know when it’s just hemorrhoids and when it’s a sign something bigger might be wrong.
Using a pen, the Colon Cancer Amigo applied a handful of bright red dots to toilet paper to mimic what his TP had typically looked like when he had hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids, also known as piles, are swollen veins in the anus and rectum that can lead to pain, itching, and bleeding but are generally benign.
The Amigo then emptied red food coloring into an empty toilet bowl to demonstrate what his bathroom visits looked like in the weeks before his diagnosis.
In response, Raj posed the question, “How do you tell the difference between bleeding from colon cancer versus hemorrhoids?”
He explained that bleeding from hemorrhoids is typically a bright red color due to the blood originating in the anus or rectum. Meanwhile, blood from colon cancer tends to be dark red, bordering on black, because it originates higher in the digestive tract, giving it more time to oxidize and darken.
“Blood from cancer may be mixed into the stool, giving the stool a darker or streaked appearance,” he continued. “Whereas hemorrhoid blood usually appears on the toilet paper after wiping, on the surface of the stool, or even as drops in the toilet bowl, rather than being mixed into the stool.”
In a truly unforgettable visual analogy, Raj compared hemorrhoid blood to a pizza topping, while colon cancer blood is a topping baked into the dough — like the cheese on top of a slice versus cheese cooked inside the crust.
Raj’s response comes as rates of colon cancer among young people have been steadily rising over the past three decades, even as diagnoses among older people decline.
A staggering 20% of colorectal cancer cases in 2019 were discovered in people younger than 55, up from 11% in 1995.
Alarmingly, this younger demographic tends to be diagnosed in the disease’s later stages, making it harder to treat and cure, according to docs who expect colon cancer to cause about 53,000 US deaths this year.
Oncologists have partly blamed the concerning rise in youth cases and deaths on obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, the Western diet, excess sugar consumption, and environmental factors such as pollutants in the air, soil, and water.
“Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2016 at the age of 39 before dying of the disease in 2020 at 43. Last week, actor James Van Der Beek, 47, revealed his own Stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis.
Recent research found that the most common red flag for colorectal cancer in young people was rectal bleeding, as nearly half of those diagnosed reported blood on their toilet paper or in their toilet bowl.
Dr. Raj was quick to note that rectal bleeding is one among a constellation of other colon cancer symptoms.
“You tend to get other symptoms in addition to the bleeding like diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, etcetera,” he said.
Many younger people with colorectal cancer are misdiagnosed with other things, like hemorrhoids or IBS.
Raj urges patients to request a further evaluation if any of these symptoms are present. Medical professionals agree that undergoing a colonoscopy is critical to catching colorectal cancer in its earliest and most treatable stages.
Screenings typically start at age 45, but those experiencing symptoms and those with a family history of colon cancer may be eligible earlier.
