The patient was 22 years old and a recent college graduate, suffering from inexplicable stomach pain.
She’d had the pain off and on for about a year and assumed it was stress-related. She finished her studies and spent a busy summer working at an animal shelter, preparing to apply to veterinary school.
When she saw a doctor, she was told to wait and see if the pain resolved on its own. But when it became so severe, she went to the emergency room. Scans found a tumor large enough to cause a near blockage of her colon. She had no family history of the disease.
It was colon cancer: a growing concern for younger patients, according to Dr. Marc Greenwald, who ultimately treated the patient and wrote a case study on her care.
Greenwald, the chief of colorectal clinical services and surgeon-in-chief at North Shore University Hospital in New York, told Business Insider that while colon cancer cases are decreasing in older adults, they’re on the rise in people under 45 as a growing number of young cancer patients are showing up at his hospital.
“There’s no doubt that we’re seeing more people,” he said. “The problem is that a lot of the symptoms are somewhat subtle. If there are new symptoms for somebody, regardless of age, they should seek medical attention.”
Here’s what Greenwald said everyone should know about the symptoms and your options for cancer screening that could catch the disease in time for effective treatment.
Colon cancer symptoms that everyone should know
Decades ago, colon cancer cases in young people were rare.
Stomach pain and indigestion in 20- or 30-something patients would often be attributed to irritable bowel syndrome or dismissed as a minor ailment.
Today, colon cancer is the top cause of cancer-related death in people under 50, prompting doctors and patients alike to be on high alert for possible symptoms.
Most concerning is that in early-onset colon cancers, symptoms may be subtle or may not appear at all until the cancer has advanced.
Greenwald said his 22-year-old patient likely developed the tumor in her colon as a teenager, and it may have continued to grow unnoticed for years.
“The most dangerous misconception is that I have no symptoms, so I must be fine,” he said. “That is really the wrong attitude because if colorectal cancer is caught before symptoms occur, your chance of a cure is much higher than if you wait for symptoms.”
How to get tested for colon cancer
Early onset cases of colon cancer include patients in their 40s, 30s, and as young as their 20s. That’s a problem because there are currently no screening guidelines for people under 45.
Colonoscopies, recommended starting at age 45, help detect cancer and also prevent it by removing any existing polyps or abnormal growths that can develop into tumors.
If you’re too young for a regular colonoscopy, it’s even more crucial to monitor any changes in your health and seek early screening if necessary.
Greenwald said patients can sometimes postpone or avoid a colonoscopy because they’re anxious about the procedure or colonoscopy prep (although a Business Insider reporter previously shared that it’s easier than you might think).
There are also less-invasive alternatives to colonoscopies, such as stool tests that can be collected at home and mailed to a lab. Blood tests for cancer are currently under development, too, although their reliability can be mixed.
If you have symptoms, even minor ones like a change in bowel habits or digestion, it’s important to talk to your doctor as soon as possible and find a testing option to rule out cancer.
“If you’re not going to do a colonoscopy, do something to get screened,” Greenwald said.
This article is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your qualified physician or healthcare provider.
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