Colon Cancer in young adults

[Snowflakey]

Anyone have to experience this or know someone who has? I've seen news articles lately about the uptick in 20 and 30 year old getting colorectal cancer. My DD is currently waiting to get a colonoscopy done and its taking months some offices are saying to get one. All year she's had stomach issues and went to the ER this past weekend with rectal bleeding. Her first cousin had colon cancer at age 32. She's 25. Worried.....

 

[mrs. magoo]

My mother died of Colon Cancer at 49. I have been getting colonoscopies since 35 since her onset was at age 47. I have had polyps removed each time. I am currently on a 3 year schedule. My mother was misdiagnosed for at least 3 years before her diagnosis in 1989 as she was considered too young to have those problems. I was fortunate to have a GP who really looked out for me and had me start young. Unfortunately that GP has since passed away and I have had to look for a new doctor 2 times in the past 5 years. Please have your daughter get on a cancellation list for the office. Many cancellations occur so hopefully she can get in faster.

 

[RogueX]

My grandmother wasn't young when she died of colon cancer (she was in her 80s), but my father has refused to be screened.

Once I started having GI issues, my doctor ordered a colonoscopy and fortunately it was clear. The only thing of interest they found was a redundant colon.

 

[Snowflakey]

My mother died of Colon Cancer at 49. I have been getting colonoscopies since 35 since her onset was at age 47. I have had polyps removed each time. I am currently on a 3 year schedule. My mother was misdiagnosed for at least 3 years before her diagnosis in 1989 as she was considered too young to have those problems. I was fortunate to have a GP who really looked out for me and had me start young. Unfortunately that GP has since passed away and I have had to look for a new doctor 2 times in the past 5 years. Please have your daughter get on a cancellation list for the office. Many cancellations occur so hopefully she can get in faster.

Ugh this is what scares me. She can't even get past the receptionist. They won't even allow her to leave a message for a nurse to call

 

[sam_gordon]

Ugh this is what scares me. She can't even get past the receptionist. They won't even allow her to leave a message for a nurse to call

Find another doctor?

 

[jdb in AZ]

A friend's niece passed from colon cancer at age 25. She was a newly wed and had been very athletic in high school and college. So tragic. Hope your DD has a better prognosis.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Anyone have to experience this or know someone who has? I've seen news articles lately about the uptick in 20 and 30 year old getting colorectal cancer. My DD is currently waiting to get a colonoscopy done and its taking months some offices are saying to get one. All year she's had stomach issues and went to the ER this past weekend with rectal bleeding. Her first cousin had colon cancer at age 32. She's 25. Worried.....

Has she seen a GI doctor? Colonoscopies can be done in a hospital or at an outpatient facility. Many GI doctors have their own offices and facilities. If she hasn't seen a GI doc yet, I'd recommend going. Try to find one with their own Endoscopy facility. I worked in at Endoscopy center that was part of the offices. We've had patients being seen in the office to come down to do a "sneak peak" like a sigmoidoscopy then and there. Schedules were always changing...cancellations, etc. The doctors had control over their own schedule and moved it around as they see fit.

 

[Mysterian]

A friend's niece passed from colon cancer at age 25. She was a newly wed and had been very athletic in high school and college. So tragic. Hope your DD has a better prognosis.

Was there a history of cancer in her family? I'm surprised someone so healthy would get this.

 

[DLgal]

Was there a history of cancer in her family? I'm surprised someone so healthy would get this.

HPV is responsible for the majority of colon cancer diagnoses in people under age 50. This is why the new vaccines are so important, but you have to get it while you are still young. HPV is insidious. Most people don't know they have/had it as it has no symptoms.

Being young and "athletic" means nothing. It's a risk for anyone who is sexually active and unvaccinated against it.

New guidelines recommend colon cancer screenings beginning at age 45 for everyone, and even earlier for high risk men and women with a history of abnormal pap results in the past.

 

[DLgal]

OP, your daughter needs to see a Gastroenterologist. They will do a proper and quick workup. However, rest assured that rectal bleeding is usually hemhorroids. And digestive issues are usually something like IBS. I've had both issues for almost 30 years and my colonoscopy a couple years ago was clear. Don't expect a colonoscopy immediately. They will do other tests to rule things out first.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

My Mom died of colon cancer in her fifties when I was 36. Because of the close relationship, both my sister and I were advised to get colonoscopies. I was turned down twice because of my age, and couldn't get one until I was 40 at which time I had two pre-cancerous polyps removed. The mindset among the medical community at large that only people over 50 need to be concerned has to change.

 

[DLgal]

My Mom died of colon cancer in her fifties when I was 36. Because of the close relationship, both my sister and I were advised to get colonoscopies. I was turned down twice because of my age, and couldn't get one until I was 40 at which time I had two pre-cancerous polyps removed. The mindset among the medical community at large that only people over 50 need to be concerned has to change.

It has changed. Officially, regular screenings begin at age 45 and GI docs are more likely to recommend colonoscopies sooner for certain patients. Also, new tests like Cologuard now exist, which are far less invasive. They use a stool sample to look for cancerous DNA fragments.

The data is clear that colon and related cancers are on the rise among young people and that it is no longer a disease correlated with age.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

It has changed. Officially, regular screenings begin at age 45 and GI docs are more likely to recommend colonoscopies sooner for certain patients. Also, new tests like Cologuard now exist, which are far less invasive. They use a stool sample to look for cancerous DNA fragments.

The data is clear that colon and related cancers are on the rise among young people and that it is no longer a disease correlated with age.

That's good to know. And I had no idea that HPV was a factor in colon cancer as well as cervical cancer, so thanks for that too.

 

[DLgal]

That's good to know. And I had no idea that HPV was a factor in colon cancer as well as cervical cancer, so thanks for that too.

It's also a factor in head and neck cancers.

 

[BrianL]

I have had experience with a scare that doctors did want to check out. I had a cononoscopy and a general cystoscopy - that one is NOT FUN! - it's like a colonoscpy, but for the other side. Anyway, after all was said and done, and nothing was found, it turned out to be...hemorrhoids. They were the internal kind that would swell up and put pressure on areas that caused similar symptoms. That's all it was though and it is very manageable. Certain things I eat, like red meat, can flare it up. Lots of fiber is a must.

Good luck to your daughter, and I hope it turns out to be something simple, but you gotta know first.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Anyone have to experience this or know someone who has? I've seen news articles lately about the uptick in 20 and 30 year old getting colorectal cancer. My DD is currently waiting to get a colonoscopy done and its taking months some offices are saying to get one. All year she's had stomach issues and went to the ER this past weekend with rectal bleeding. Her first cousin had colon cancer at age 32. She's 25. Worried.....

This is true also of breast cancers being on the rise in young people, too. Oftentimes in young people cancer can be Stage IV (metastasized) when found because it had time to spread because no one thought someone that young would be likely to have cancer - this is true of both patients themselves as well as caregivers. I’ve had patients with this type of diagnosis and it is truly devastating. We all have to be our own best advocates and push when something isn’t right.

OP I hope everything goes well for your DD.

 

[Snowflakey]

Find another doctor?

Isn't that easy. She has contacted all 3 in our area....

 

[Snowflakey]

Has she seen a GI doctor? Colonoscopies can be done in a hospital or at an outpatient facility. Many GI doctors have their own offices and facilities. If she hasn't seen a GI doc yet, I'd recommend going. Try to find one with their own Endoscopy facility. I worked in at Endoscopy center that was part of the offices. We've had patients being seen in the office to come down to do a "sneak peak" like a sigmoidoscopy then and there. Schedules were always changing...cancellations, etc. The doctors had control over their own schedule and moved it around as they see fit.

That is who she is in contact with......

 

[Snowflakey]

OP, your daughter needs to see a Gastroenterologist. They will do a proper and quick workup. However, rest assured that rectal bleeding is usually hemhorroids. And digestive issues are usually something like IBS. I've had both issues for almost 30 years and my colonoscopy a couple years ago was clear. Don't expect a colonoscopy immediately. They will do other tests to rule things out first.

What type of tests? Her blood work was good but everything I read on people who have colon cancer in their 20's said their blood was fine also

 

[Snowflakey]

I have had experience with a scare that doctors did want to check out. I had a cononoscopy and a general cystoscopy - that one is NOT FUN! - it's like a colonoscpy, but for the other side. Anyway, after all was said and done, and nothing was found, it turned out to be...hemorrhoids. They were the internal kind that would swell up and put pressure on areas that caused similar symptoms. That's all it was though and it is very manageable. Certain things I eat, like red meat, can flare it up. Lots of fiber is a must.

Good luck to your daughter, and I hope it turns out to be something simple, but you gotta know first.

Did you have awful stomach pains with that? So glad it wasn't cancer!!