​Colorectal cancer risk increasing among young Americans: Early symptoms one should know​

If you spot blood in the toilet bowl, on your poop, or even just a smear on the toilet paper, don’t brush it off. Sure, it might be hemorrhoids, but if it's happening regularly, it could be something more serious like colorectal cancer. The bleeding often comes from polyps or tumors inside your colon or rectum. Sometimes it's bright red, sometimes it’s darker (like coffee grounds), but either way, it’s your body waving a red flag—literally. Don’t panic, but don’t ignore it either. Call your doc and get it checked out, just to be safe.