At what stage of colon cancer are pain symptoms present?

Pain is a rare symptom with colon cancer, especially in the early stages, as EMedicineHealth explains. Abdominal pain due to colon cancer typically only occurs if the cancer causes perforation or blockage of the bowel.

Early symptoms of colon cancer include blood or mucus mixed in with the stools, diarrhea or constipation, and a feeling that the colon is still full after eliminating, as Patient points out. While the average time from the onset of symptoms to the diagnosis of colon cancer is 14 weeks, there is no way to predict the stage of cancer at the time of diagnosis without further tests such as a colonoscopy or barium enema, according to EMedicineHealth.