Toilet paper containing red ink could disguise early signs of cancer, according to FOX News.
Tissue that is decorated with prints and designs that include red ink may look like blood when wet and traces of blood are one of the first and most common signs of colon cancer, a colorectal surgeon Dr. Guy Nash of Poole Hospital claims. "Those patients bleeding will miss real blood, and those not bleeding will report blood in the toilet mistakenly. Colon cancer develops in the cells that line the large intestine or rectum. The condition has led to approximately 50,000 deaths in the United States last year, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Dr. Nash said he saw what looked like blood in his own toilet but it turned out to be red hearts adorning the bathroom tissue. He said manufacturers and the public should be aware of the risk. "In my view, it is irresponsible of the makers to have not considered this." However, not all medical practitioners look at the issue as a cause for concern. Dr. David Bernstein, a gastroenterologist at North Shore University Hospital said he has never come across a patient who has confused the color of toilet paper with signs of colon cancer.
"I think it's nonsense. If someone sees blood, they should call their doctor, not panic, and have it appropriately evaluated." Dr. Bernstein also suggests that people should undergo regular colonoscopies which are recommended as a screening tool for colorectal cancer. Bloody stool is much more commonly associated with hemorrhoids, than colon cancer. Other causes may also include an anal fissure, diverticular disease or colitis.
