A nurse is assessing a client who has a new diagnosis of colon cancer. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

A. Steatorrhea, or fatty stools, occurs when there is malabsorption of fats, most often associated with pancreatic insufficiency, celiac disease, or bile duct obstruction. Colon cancer generally does not interfere with fat digestion, so steatorrhea is not an expected finding. B. Clients with colon cancer typically experience unintentional weight loss due to decreased appetite, increased metabolic demands of the tumor, and chronic gastrointestinal symptoms. Weight gain is not consistent with the pathophysiology of colon cancer. C. Hematochezia, or bright red blood in the stool, is a common symptom of colon cancer, particularly when the tumor is located in the distal colon or rectum. It may be intermittent and painless, so clients may not notice it immediately. Other manifestations can include melena (dark, tarry stools) if the tumor is in the proximal colon. Clients may also experience changes in bowel habits (diarrhea or constipation), tenesmus, and narrow, ribbon-like stools. Chronic blood loss can lead to iron-deficiency anemia, resulting in fatigue, pallor, and weakness. D. Chronic blood loss associated with colon cancer usually results in anemia, causing low hemoglobin and hematocrit, rather than an elevated hemoglobin level.