Ring the Alarm: The Rise of Colorectal Cancer in Younger Adults
“I knew instantly when they did the colonoscopy that something wasn’t right because the energy just shifted in the room.”
Vanessa, from London was only 33-years-old when she received the diagnosis that would derail her life as she knew it 1 year ago. What started as chronic fatigue, stomach pains, and ultimately blood on toilet paper when wiping from a suspected cut in the area led to further examinations and studies confirming that she had Stage 4 Colon cancer that spread to her liver. “Within a week of finding out, I was on the most aggressive chemotherapy. They said it was incurable because it was in multiple parts of the liver and my lymph nodes. They told me I had 1-3 years to live, and would be on chemotherapy for the rest of my life.”
While colorectal cancer (cancer of the large intestine or rectum) remains the fourth most common cancer in the United States, it is the second most deadly cancer in the nation and worldwide. Perhaps even more alarming is that it is steadily rising by 1-2% every year in those under the age of 55. In fact, Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of death in men below age 50, and the second leading cause of death in women below age 50.
Colon cancer in younger populations has made its way to headlines more and more in recent years with the shocking losses of young public figures such as renowned Actor Chadwick Boseman, celebrated for his roles as T’Challa in ‘Black Panther’ and Jackie Robinson in ‘42’ among others. Boseman was just 43-years-old when he tragically passed away in August 2020, 4 years after being diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon cancer.
What are some culprits to blame for this concerning trend in younger populations? “Epi-genetics are likely playing a role in the increasing incidents. Lifestyle and environmental exposures are likely contributing, including the increased exposure to chemicals and toxins and ultra-processed foods,” says Dr. Aja Mccutchen, partner and executive gastroenterologist at United Digestive.
Additionally, some groups are more at risk than others for colon cancer. For example, Black Americans are 15% more likely to get colorectal cancer, yet they are 35% more likely to die from it. Dr. Mccutchen weighs in: “These [factors] may also be contributors to disparities that we see. It’s important to understand your family history, as well as signs and symptoms of colon cancer. In addition, only 20% of those 45 to 49 has been screened for colon cancer despite the [fact that the] American Cancer Society recommends any person over 45 to undergo a screening.”
Some signs and symptoms to keep an eye out for include unexplained weight loss, change in bowel habits (change in the consistency or shape of your stool, or diarrhea or constipation that comes and goes or is constant), blood in or on the stool/in the toilet bowl or paper, abdominal discomfort, and fatigue. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer or a personal history of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative colitis), you will need to get screened earlier than age 45 like those considered average-risk for developing colorectal cancer.
Vanessa’s journey took a favorable turn when 6 rounds of chemotherapy and numerous scans later, an open surgery revealed that her cancer had shrunk until she was in complete remission. What remains after her tumultuous year since diagnosis and countless treatments is gratefulness with a dash of caution: “I am feeling incredibly grateful; I know that things could have turned out differently. I am grateful to the people that stood besides me, the medical team that supported me, and to God as I don’t think that my healing was natural. I have a duty to live life, to embrace life, and not do the mundane and think small and kind of express myself creatively and not care what people think. I also feel I have to be more conscious of what I put into my body and do a lot more research into the things we eat on a normal basis because I’m not an unhealthy eater but clearly something went wrong.”
When asked about her message to other young people, she warns, “be aware of what is going on; if you are a young healthy person the last thing on your mind is cancer, [but] be aware of changes in your body and [do] not to spend your whole life just working and stressing out. Be more mindful and present within yourself and be more diligent with conducting research about the foods that we are eating because clearly we don’t have full transparency in those things. As consumers we need to educate ourselves more.”
For more information of colorectal cancer, please visit:
https://www.cdc.gov/colorectal-cancer/about/index.html
