While diverticulitis itself doesn't directly turn into cancer, having diverticular disease (including diverticulitis) slightly increases your overall risk for colon cancer, especially early on, with rates around 1-2% for uncomplicated cases, but significantly higher (up to 7-10%) for complicated diverticulitis, making follow-up colonoscopy crucial to rule out missed cancer, particularly within the first six months.
Conclusion: When there are no pericolonic lymph nodes adjacent to a segment of colonic wall thickening, with pericolonic inflammatory changes, the most likely diagnosis is diverticulitis. When pericolonic lymph nodes are present, with or without pericolonic edema, the most likely diagnosis is colon cancer.
Compared with reference individuals, patients with diverticular disease had statistically significantly increased overall cancer incidence (24.5 vs 18.1 per 1000 person-years), equivalent to 1 extra cancer case in 16 individuals with diverticular disease followed-up for 10 years.
“The appearance of complicated diverticulitis is more similar to the appearance of a CRC on a CT scan, so it is more likely that a CRC could be mistaken for complicated diverticulitis,” said Redd. “This likely explains why those patients with complicated diverticulitis are more likely to have CRC found on colonoscopy.”
Patients with diverticular disease also had an increased risk of specific cancers, including colon cancer (HR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.60 to 1.82), liver cancer (HR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.41 to 2.10), pancreatic cancer (HR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.42 to 1.84), and lung cancer (HR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.39 to 1.61).
See a doctor if symptoms like diarrhea, constipation or bloating don't resolve on their own within a few weeks. Excessive fatigue and losing weight without trying may also be symptoms of colorectal cancer. Contact a doctor immediately if you see blood in your stool.
The test can be used to diagnose diverticular disease in people who have symptoms. Colonoscopies are also commonly used as a screening tool for colon cancer. In fact, many people are unexpectedly diagnosed with diverticular disease as a result of a routine colonoscopy.
Computed tomography (CT) scans are commonly used to diagnose acute diverticulitis, but there are overlapping features between diverticulitis and colorectal cancer (CRC) on imaging studies. Hence, colonoscopy is typically recommended after an episode of acute diverticulitis to rule out underlying malignancy.
Recurrent attacks of acute diverticulitis carry the risk of gradual scarring and fibrosis with the sequela of forming a stricture. Diverticular disease rarely causes complete obstruction.
A colonoscopy is an examination of the inside of your large intestine (colon). It's helpful for diagnosing gastrointestinal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer. It can also help treat and prevent colon cancer.
Conclusions: Early recognition of red-flag signs and symptoms (abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, diarrhea, and iron-deficiency anemia) may improve early detection and timely diagnosis of early-onset CRC.
And, depending on where a tumor is located, it can also cause an obstruction, or a blockage in the colon, which can cause severe pain. Those typically occur on the lower left side of the abdomen.
Watch out for the following:
Often symptomless: Colon cancer starts as polyps and usually develops slowly for 10 to 15 years. Many people with colon cancer don't have any symptoms at first, which is why screening is so important.
Symptoms
In addition to colorectal cancer, your doctor will want to rule out inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This family of disorders shares symptoms with IBS and colorectal cancer. The two most common inflammatory bowel diseases are ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
Symptoms of colorectal cancer may include:
Colorectal cancer is an umbrella term for colon cancer and rectal cancer. Studies have shown that colorectal cancer is more common in the sigmoid colon, which is on the left side, along with the descending colon and rectum. The rectum is also considered the left side even though it's not part of the colon.
Bowel pain can be felt anywhere in the mid or low abdomen, sometimes more on the right side. When felt low in the abdomen, it is easily confused with pain from pelvic muscles, the uterus, the bladder or endometriosis.
The "3-2-1 Rule" for colon cancer risk refers to the Amsterdam Criteria, a guideline to identify families potentially affected by Lynch Syndrome, a hereditary cancer predisposition, requiring: 3 or more relatives with Lynch-associated cancers, affecting 2 consecutive generations, with at least 1 relative diagnosed under age 50, and often with FAP excluded. It highlights family history red flags like multiple affected members, young diagnoses, and generational spread to prompt genetic counseling.
Coping Strategies
Factors that may increase the risk of colon cancer include:
Diverticulosis can often be an unexpected diagnosis when colonoscopy is performed in asymptomatic subjects, generally for colorectal cancer screening, or it could reveal an endoscopic picture compatible with DD, including acute diverticulitis, in patients suffering from abdominal pain or rectal bleeding.
Symptoms that require an urgent colonoscopy