How to Recognize Colon Cancer in Young Adults
You never think it could happen to you, especially when you're young and healthy. But the reality is that colon cancer is on the rise among young adults.
While it sounds scary, and it may be tempting to brush off the symptoms and attribute them to less serious conditions, it always pays to consult with your doctor, especially when something doesn’t feel quite right. What are the warning signs of colon cancer in young adults? What should you know? Below, we take a closer look.
5 Warning Signs of Colon Cancer in Young Adults
It’s important to become an advocate for your own health. In many cases, early colon cancer is diagnosed as inflammatory bowel disease. For patients to be properly diagnosed, a colonoscopy is necessary, but oftentimes, the patient must, unfortunately, push for this.
What are the warning signs that you might have colon cancer and not inflammatory bowel disease? Let's take a look.
1. Rectal Bleeding
Bleeding from the rectum can be indicative of various problems, including hemorrhoids. In turn, this can easily be ignored or thought to be caused by something other than cancer. However, if you’re experiencing this and it doesn’t resolve in a relatively reasonable amount of time, it's important to rule out colon cancer as a cause to ensure you can enjoy many years to come.
2. Abdominal Pain
Considering abdominal pain can be linked to an array of harmless causes, such as menstrual cramps, this one can be tricky. Yet, persistent bloating or abdominal pain can signify colon cancer. Many describe this pain as a cramping feeling. Meanwhile, some with colon cancer might not have any pain at all.
3. Changes in Bowel Habits
This is probably the most well-known warning sign that something may be amiss. If you begin to experience diarrhea or constipation, this could be a very early sign that cancer is present. This may also manifest as a feeling that the bowels don’t fully empty during a bowel movement, which is a form of constipation.
On top of this, colon cancer can lead to consistency changes in the stool. For instance, thinner stools may be a sign of colon cancer as the tumor grows and takes up more space in the colon, leaving only a small amount of room for waste to pass through.
4. Unexplained Weight Loss
Weight loss may happen with colon cancer due to the way the body converts food into energy. This happens due to substances released by the cancer cells. At the same time, unexplained weight loss may also occur due to the energy that the cancer cells consume. This may also occur on a smaller scale if you’re experiencing frequent bouts of diarrhea.
5. Fatigue or Weakness
Usually, this sign goes hand-in-hand with other symptoms. For instance, diarrhea is more likely to cause fatigue and weakness due to the loss of fluids. Additionally, weight loss may contribute to increasing feelings of fatigue and weakness.
Why is Colon Cancer Increasing in Young Adults?
Colorectal cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for men under the age of 50. And the hard truth is that experts aren’t entirely sure why these rates are rising. However, there are a few theories.
Researchers hypothesize that sedentary behavior, diet, obesity, alcohol and tobacco may play a part. Additionally, exposure to certain chemicals and a family history of cancer may increase your risk.
With more young people being diagnosed with this type of cancer, knowing the signs and symptoms can ensure you don’t become part of another statistic. When caught early, your chances of survival and efficient treatment substantially increase. However, in the later stages of this disease, and once it spreads beyond the colon, it can be more difficult to treat.
Take a Proactive Approach
It’s easy for the above symptoms to be overlooked, especially when it comes to colon cancer in young adults. Someone can appear completely healthy but be experiencing the early stages of this type of cancer.
On top of this, doctors can also overlook these signs and symptoms which can lead to a delay in treatment and diagnosis when it’s too late. It’s important to seek out second opinions or ask for certain testing, such as a biopsy via a colonoscopy, to rule out cancer. When colon cancer is only located in the bowel, it’s usually very treatable, but this requires early diagnosis. Don’t be afraid to stand up for your health or seek out other medical opinions as needed.