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It's been a huge influx of young adults getting diagnosed with colon cancer and we don't know why. It's often aggressive and advanced at presentation. This is just terrible.
I've been subspecialized in GI cancer for the past 1.5 years. The recommended age for routine colonoscopies is now 45 or 10 years before the first degree relative's diagnosis, e.g. if your mom had it at 45, you start screening at 35
Note what's regular for you in terms bowel and digestion habits. Rectal bleeding, maroon stools, black shouldn't be ignored. New onset of anemia shouldn't be ignored. Unexplained weight loss shouldn't be ignored.
Young people often aren't worked up for GI cancers early as it was a disease of the elderly and symptoms are believed to be from other causes. I have A LOT of patients under 45.
Such a tough diagnosis to work through. Just heartbreaking.
Here's some general ready for those interested https://utswmed.org/medblog/colon-cancer-young-adults/
