NEW LOWER PRICES - ACT FAST
Physician Assistant (PA)
/
Courses
/
Pathology
/
Intestinal Disorders
/
Colorectal Cancer Assessment

Master Colorectal Cancer Assessment with Picmonic for Physician Assistant

With Picmonic, facts become pictures. We've taken what the science shows - image mnemonics work - but we've boosted the effectiveness by building and associating memorable characters, interesting audio stories, and built-in quizzing.

DOWNLOAD PDF
Colorectal Cancer Assessment

Recommended Picmonics

picmonic thumbnail
Colorectal Cancer Interventions
picmonic thumbnail
Crohn's Disease Assessment
picmonic thumbnail
Crohn's Disease Characteristics
picmonic thumbnail
Crohn's Symptoms and Associations
picmonic thumbnail
Ulcerative Colitis Characteristics

Colorectal Cancer Assessment

Colon Tumor-guy with Assess-man
Picmonic
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in both men and women with the majority of cases being adenocarcinoma. Risk factors include family history of colorectal cancer, personal history of inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, diet high in red meat, obesity, alcohol consumption greater than four drinks per week, and cigarette smoking. Clinical manifestations of early-stage colorectal cancer are usually non-specific, while manifestations of late-stage colorectal cancer include hepatomegaly, peritonitis, and abdominal pain. Patients aged 45 and older should undergo a colonoscopy once every 10 years to assess for polyps and/or the presence of cancer.
9 KEY FACTS
3rd Most Common Cancer
(3) Tree Tumor-guy

Colorectal cancer encompasses the 3rd most commonly occurring cancer worldwide, after lung and breast cancer, respectively.

ASSESSMENT
Change in Bowel Habits
Delta Bowel-bowl

Changes in bowel habits vary depending on where the cancer is found. For example, colorectal cancer found in the right side of the intestine is likely to cause diarrhea, while left-sided cancerous lesions typically cause bowel obstruction or constipation.

Bowel Obstruction
Bowel-bowl Obstructed

Bowel obstructions can be caused by tumors in patients with undiagnosed colorectal cancer. The patient may experience constipation before the bowel becomes completely obstructed.

Rectal Bleeding
Rectum-rectangle Bleeding

Rectal bleeding should not be ignored, as it may be a sign of colorectal cancer. Intestinal polyps that become large enough can bleed, causing stool to appear black or tar-like.

Anemia
Anemone

Rectal bleeding that persists or remains untreated can lead to excess blood loss and iron deficiency anemia. Anemia occurs when there is a decrease in the amount of red blood cells present in the blood. Patients who are anemic may feel tired, weak, or short of breath.

Weight Loss
Skinny with Baggy-pants

Weight loss in patients with colorectal cancer can be attributed to the increased metabolic needs of the tumor. A patient who experiences an unexplained weight loss of 10 pounds or more should contact their healthcare provider.

Ascites
Ascites Iced-tea

Ascites occurs when there is a collection of fluid in the abdomen or peritoneal space. If cancer of the colon spreads to the liver, hepatomegaly and liver dysfunction may result. Inability of the liver to make proteins necessary to maintain oncotic pressure will cause shifting of fluid from the vasculature into the “third space.” Accumulation of fluid in the abdomen related to ascites can cause abdominal pain and discomfort.

CONSIDERATIONS
Colonoscopy
Colon-scope

This procedure allows a healthcare provider to look at the inside of the intestine using a colonoscope and is considered the gold standard for screening practices. Patients aged 45 and older should undergo a colonoscopy once every 10 years to assess for colon polyps and/or the presence of colon cancer.

FOBT and FIT
Fecal-cult-Blood-Test and Fecal-In-moon-Test

Fecal occult blood tests and fecal immunochemical tests can be used to detect blood in a patient’s stool, which could indicate the presence of a polyp or cancer. These tests should be conducted yearly.

DOWNLOAD PDF

Take the Colorectal Cancer Assessment Quiz

Picmonic's rapid review multiple-choice quiz allows you to assess your knowledge.

It's worth every penny

Our Story Mnemonics Increase Mastery and Retention

Memorize facts with phonetic mnemonics

Unforgettable characters with concise but impactful videos (2-4 min each)

Memorize facts with phonetic mnemonics

Ace Your Physician Assistant (PA) Classes & Exams with Picmonic:

Over 1,870,000 students use Picmonic’s picture mnemonics to improve knowledge, retention, and exam performance.

Choose the #1 Physician Assistant (PA) student study app.

Picmonic for Physician Assistant (PA) covers information that is relevant to your entire Physician Assistant (PA) education. Whether you’re studying for your classes or getting ready to conquer the PANCE® or PANRE®, we’re here to help.

Works better than traditional Physician Assistant (PA) flashcards.

Research shows that students who use Picmonic see a 331% improvement in memory retention and a 50% improvement in test scores.