Murrell told Health that blood might appear in stools as a tumor grows and causes cells to break off, opening up blood vessels in the tumor.

“These cancer cells grow, grow, grow, outgrow their blood supply, literally break off, but the blood vessels are still there, shooting blood into the colon, for lack of a better term,” he said.

But blood in the stool also can be caused by other conditions, including hemorrhoids, anal fissures and abscesses, or even a difficult bowel movement, Murrell told Health.

“If you notice that every time you have a bowel movement, and you see blood every single time—whether your stool is hard or soft—you need to be evaluated,” he said.

Murrell told Health that if rectal bleeding is accompanied by colorectal symptoms, such as abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits or fatigue, it’s important to see a physician promptly and not delay out of fear or embarrassment. He emphasized that early detection of colorectal cancer can lead to better outcomes.

“You shouldn’t die from fear, and you shouldn’t die from embarrassment,” he said, repeating a common refrain he uses during community outreach efforts. “If you catch [colorectal cancer] early, it is curable by surgery. It is literally curable. So don’t become the self-fulfilling prophecy, because if you’re embarrassed long enough and you’re scared long enough that this is not going to be curable, guess what? It won’t be.”

Click here to read the complete article from Health.

A recent study by the American Cancer Society found that cancer risk is elevated among this group, in part, because certain risk factors—such as smoking, obesity and alcohol consumption—are more prevalent in this community.

Murrell, who was not involved with the study, told SurvivorNet.com that in addition to those risk factors, societal stressors often experienced by LGBTQIA+ people can negatively impact their health.

“It’s not that being part of that community causes you to innately want to drink or smoke, but it’s how you are treated in this society,” he said. “So that’s something that is very important and why we kind of have to consider all these things.”

Murrell told SurvivorNet.com that the human papillomavirus (HPV) also is a risk factor for cancer, especially among gay and bisexual men.

He said that getting vaccinated against HPV and other related cancers is “the biggest thing to do," adding that “hopefully this will be a thing of the past.”

Murrell told SurvivorNet.com that trust in healthcare professionals among the LGBTQIA+ community is critical.

“If you don’t feel like you can trust your doctor, you need to find another one,” he said. “Be your own healthcare advocate. What does that mean? It means finding a doctor who you trust, and he or she trusts you, and you’re working on a plan together.”

Click here to read the complete article from SurvivorNet.com.