Twenty percent of new colorectal cancer cases in 2019 were in people younger than 55.
Rectal bleeding is the most common red flag for colon cancer.
New or different abdominal pain is cause for concern.
Rectal bleeding is the most common red flag for colon cancer.
New or different abdominal pain is cause for concern.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Thank you for watching my channel please subscribe and like. Now back to the news.
00:05Rates of colon cancer among young people have been steadily rising over the past three decades,
00:10even as diagnosis among older people decline. A staggering 20 percent of colorectal cancer
00:15cases in 2019 were discovered in people younger than 55, up from 11 percent in 1995.
00:22Alarmingly, this younger demographic tends to be diagnosed in the disease's later stages,
00:26making it harder to treat and cure, according to docs who expect colon cancer to cause about
00:3053,000 deaths this year. However, there are six clear signs young people should watch out for,
00:36with experts advising they see a healthcare professional if they experience any of the below.
00:41Recent research found that the most common red flag for colorectal cancer in young people
00:45was rectal bleeding, as nearly half of those diagnosed reported blood on their toilet paper
00:50or in their toilet bowl. Andrea Cersak, M.D., a gastrointestinal oncologist at Memorial Sloan
00:55Kettering Cancer Center in New York, tells Cellfab for younger people with colon cancer,
00:59tumors often develop in the last portion of the colon or rectum. Blood from those tumors has a
01:04shorter distance to travel, so it comes out bright red, while blood that's been in the digestive
01:08tract for a while can look almost black. While blood can be a symptom of colon cancer,
01:13other causes of rectal bleeding include IBD, anal fissures, and hemorrhoids. In any case,
01:19this type of bleeding should be addressed and assessed by a medical professional.
01:23Tiago Biacci, M.D., Ph.D., a GI medical oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida,
01:29tells Cellf. Often, a tumor in your colon or rectum will like a clog in a pipe change the
01:33way you poop. That may mean frequent constipation, diarrhea, or both. In other cases, people don't
01:39feel empty after going, or they notice their poop is looking different than before—it's more narrow,
01:43for instance. Dr. Michael Cicchini, co-director of the colorectal program at the Center for
01:48Gastrointestinal Cancers and medical oncologist at Yale Cancer Center, echoes this insight. He
01:54tells HuffPost that colon cancer patients often have very thin stools. This tends to occur if
01:59tumors are present near the end of the colon, or if they line the entire inside of the colon,
02:03which narrows whatever stool passes through, he explained. When it exists, it is highly concerning.
02:08Persistent belly aching, particularly pains that coincide with mealtime, is a potential
02:13symptom of colorectal cancer. However, this pain can easily, and far more commonly,
02:18be attributed to menstrual cramping, kidney stones, indigestion, heartburn, IBS, or urinary
02:23tract infections. Sonia Kupfer, MD, director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Risk and Prevention
02:29Clinic at the University of Chicago Medicine, tells Self. If it's abdominal pain that's new
02:33or different from what you've experienced before, that's a reason to see your doctor.
02:37In addition to cancer symptoms like gastrointestinal distress that can make it difficult
02:41to eat, Dr. Biagi says, colorectal tumors can release hormones that can seriously suppress
02:46your appetite. In a recent study, 15% of younger people reported appetite loss four to six months
02:52before their diagnosis. What amount of weight loss constitutes a red flag for colon cancer?
02:58Losing 10 pounds or 5% of your body weight over a period of six months without effort
03:02is reason enough to seek out a medical opinion. Again, many conditions, including diabetes, IBD,
03:08celiac disease, and hypothyroidism, can result in weight loss, but regardless of the cause,
03:13help should be sought. Bleeding from colorectal tumors can lead, over time, to anemia, a condition
03:19that occurs when the body doesn't have enough healthy red blood cells. The body requires iron
03:24to create red blood cells and to support energy production, immune response, and cognitive
03:29function. Symptoms of iron deficiency include fatigue, cold hands and feet, hair loss, brittle
03:34nails, cognitive issues like brain fog, decreased athletic performance, shortness of breath,
03:39junk food cravings, headaches, and sleep disorders. More than a third of women younger than 50 have
03:44insufficient amounts of iron. If you're someone who menstruates, anemia will often be attributed
03:49to a heavy period. However, if other symptoms are present, it could indicate colon cancer.
03:55Colon cancer, like many other cancers, coincides with feelings of total exhaustion.
03:59Roughly 8% of younger patients report symptoms of fatigue in the months before a diagnosis.
04:04The same tumor-generated hormones that disrupt appetite can deplete energy and contribute to
04:09general malice. Many younger people with colorectal cancer are misdiagnosed with other things, like
04:14hemorrhoids or IBS. Dr. Sursak urges patients to request a further evaluation if any of these
04:19symptoms are present. Medical professionals agree that undergoing a colonoscopy is key to catching
04:24colorectal cancer in its earliest and most treatable stages. Screenings typically start at age 45, but
04:30those experiencing symptoms and those with a family history of colon cancer may be eligible
04:35earlier. It's important to catch cancer early through screening or alerting to some of these
04:39symptoms so that we diagnose cancer at an earlier stage, where it's more treatable and hopefully
04:44curable, Dr. Sakini says. We still cure the majority of people with this cancer every year.