Criteria for urgent referral in patient suspected of CRC include

• Patients over the age of 50 years with any of the following symptoms over a period of six weeks should be urgently and appropriately investigated:
• Rectal bleeding with a change in bowel habit to looseness or increased frequency.
• Rectal bleeding without anal symptoms.
• Palpable abdominal or rectal mass.
• A definite palpable right-sided abdominal mass
• Intestinal obstruction.
• A definite palpable rectal mass (not pelvic)
• All patients with iron-deficiency anemia (below 10 Grams in post-menopausal women and below 11 Grams in all men) without other obvious cause should be thoroughly investigated for colorectal cancer.