Colon cancer now leading cause of cancer deaths under 50 in US

"Around 3/4 of people under 50 already have advanced colorectal cancer when they're diagnosed, because they haven't been screened through regular colonoscopies, and they don't take their symptoms seriously, because they think they're too young. Many people assume they have haemorrhoids, because that's the first search result that comes up when you look up blood in stool."

"Initially, she was experiencing pencil thin bowel movements and having to go number two much more frequently, as much as five or six times a day. Eventually, she started seeing thick, dark blood with each movement. She decided to see a doctor after seeing an Instagram video by Cass Costley, where she talked about how similar symptoms turned out to be colon cancer."

"Becca Lynch, who works in cyber security in Denver, Colorado, was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer last year, when she was just 29. At first, she assumed her symptoms couldn't be anything serious: I chalked it up to stress. Now, she is careful to describe her symptoms in great detail, not because they're fun to talk about, but because she doesn't want other people to miss the signs."

Colorectal cancer has become the leading cause of cancer death in people under 50 in the United States. Most patients in this age group are diagnosed with advanced disease because they either don't recognize symptoms or attribute them to less serious conditions like hemorrhoids. Common early warning signs include changes in bowel habits, pencil-thin stools, and rectal bleeding. Young people often delay seeking medical evaluation because they believe they are too young for cancer. Experts emphasize the importance of taking persistent symptoms seriously and pursuing medical evaluation promptly. Screening through colonoscopy remains critical for early detection, yet many young adults avoid this procedure.

Read at www.theguardian.com