Jill MacDonald, now an ambassador for Fight Colorectal Cancer, was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer (also known as colon cancer) in 2015. “I’ve been dealing with this for over nine years,” MacDonald said. . “I’ve been through an unimaginable amount of chemotherapy treatments, radiation, surgeries, procedures… the list goes on.”
Initially, MacDonald’s symptoms were ruled out. “She was suffering from some night sweats pretty constantly – a little bit of blood in her stool,” she explained. “My abdomen felt a little uncomfortable at times. I had some back pain. My doctor told me it was probably just hemorrhoids (swollen veins in the anus and lower part of the rectum).”
Unfortunately, MacDonald’s doctor was wrong and she is one of a growing number of people who are diagnosed with colon cancer at a younger age than normal.
Colon cancer, the third most common cancer in the U.S., is most often diagnosed in older adults. However, the disease is increasing in people under 50 years of age and is now the third deadliest type of cancer in women aged 20 to 49 years. And, according to statistics from a March 2023 report from the American Cancer Society, approximately 19,550 people under the age of 50 will be diagnosed with colon cancer. This represents a 9% increase since 2020.
Colorectal cancer that is diagnosed in a person under the age of 50 is called early-onset colorectal cancer. As more and more young adults are diagnosed, doctors and researchers have noticed that they are more likely to have develop an aggressive manner of the disease and are 40% more likely be diagnosed at a more advanced stage.
He five-year survival rate for colon cancer it is 90%, decreasing to 71% for stage 3 and 14% for stage 4. The five-year survival rate is the percentage of people in a study or treatment who were alive five years after being diagnosed or starting cancer treatment.
Late diagnosis of colon cancer
Many younger people don’t think of colon cancer as something they could have, which can lead to delays in diagnosis.
“The problem is that they are diagnosed later than we would expect in the older population because most young people don’t believe they have cancer.” Nehal J. Lakhani, MD, Ph.D.said the director of Clinical Research at the Midwest START Center for Cancer Research. “They are more likely not to seek medical attention. They may attribute the liquid stool to hemorrhoids or something else.”
Additionally, doctors do not offer screening for early-onset colorectal cancer in younger adults. The US Preventive Services Task Force typically recommends that adults from 45 to 75 years old receive a colorectal exam. However, millennials, who are people born between 1981 and 1996, have double the risk of colorectal cancer compared to those born in 1950.
“We, as doctors, were unable to recognize the symptoms in the younger population because we do not expect them to have cancer due to our general understanding of the disease,” Lakhani said.
Why are more young adults being diagnosed with colon cancer?
Researchers aren’t sure what’s behind the increase in younger adults being diagnosed with colon cancer. Genetics may play a role in developing colon cancer at a young age, especially if you have lynch syndrome. However, that does not explain the increase. Lifestyle factorsPossible influences are considered, such as lack of exercise or alcohol and tobacco use, and environmental exposure to toxins and chemicals.
Some other theories include:
Red or processed meats: The NCI reports that red or processed meats are associated with a increased risk of colorectal cancer. Some examples of specific foods include beef, pork, and lamb.
“The World Health Organization (WHO) classified processed meats as Group 1 carcinogens, the same degree of certainty as cigarette smoking,” Lakhani explained. “Red meat has also been classified as a carcinogen, but in a lower category as a Group 2 carcinogen.”
Socioeconomic status: A person’s socioeconomic status involves their education, income, and type of job. People with a lower socioeconomic status may have less access to health resources and poorer health than those with a higher socioeconomic level. That said, younger adults with lower socioeconomic status may be more likely to get colon cancer.
“If you’re from a lower socioeconomic background, you may not have health insurance,” Lakhani said. “Or you have access to health care, but it’s not the best quality of care.”
Signs and symptoms of colon cancer in younger adults
The signs and symptoms of colonectal cancer (colon and rectal cancer) may include the following:
- Blood in the stool
- Dark or black stools
- Unintentional weight loss
The NCI reports four additional possible warning signs of colorectal cancer in young adults, including:
- Stomachache
- Rectal bleeding
- Diarrhea
- iron deficiency anemia
How to prevent or reduce the risk of colon cancer
Here are some actions you can take to reduce your risk of developing colorectal cancer:
Eat a healthy diet
- Avoid red or processed meats.
- Add a good amount of fruits and vegetables to your diet
- Eat plenty of fiber, including 21 to 28 grams a day For women, depending on your age.
Stay physically active
Advocate for yourself
Because screening is generally recommended for older adults and health care providers (HCPs) may rule out your symptoms, it is important to advocate for your health.
Read: My doctor dismissed my colon cancer warning signs as normal pregnancy symptoms >>
“Being a young patient, you may have to be your own advocate for things that happen in the healthcare system,” Lakhani said. “[If] If you continue to have symptoms and do not investigate them, you may need to push for [medical care].”
If you suspect you have colon cancer, see your doctor quickly and don’t take no for an answer if you want to get screened. Get a second opinion if you think your doctor isn’t listening to you.
If you are diagnosed with colon cancer, Lakhani suggested finding a good oncologist quickly and addressing the problem as soon as possible so you can get the best possible results.
This educational resource was created with the support of Merck.
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