Colon Cancer in young adults

[BrianL]

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

It's wasn't a lot of pain, except when "going" which was uncomfortable at best and sometimes painful. It was mostly causing me to urinate more and experience...mosture. I was pretty young for that nonsense so we had it all checked out.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Does your DD have hemorrhoids? They must’ve checked for those in the ER.

 

[DLgal]

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

There are specific blood tests that will screen for inflammation (CRP markers) and there is also a blood test that can look for signs of inflammatory bowel disease. Those are just screeners, and a stool sample test would also be indicated to check for blood in the stool. The blood tests are more specialized than just "normal" blood tests. In addition, she would likely have a digital rectal exam, also to check for blood or any masses. All this is part of a normal workup for "change in bowel habits and rectal bleeding."

Stomach pains are not typically associated with colon cancer. That is more likely to be either an inflammatory bowel condition (Ulcerative colitis/Chrohns) or good old IBS (which causes EXCRUCIATING pains, trust me..worse than labor pains for me).

Considering you said she has been dealing with these pains for a year, it's likely not cancer, but one of these other issues. The bleeding is common with both IBS and IBD, but moreso with IBD, which is an autoimmune issue (and which would require both a colonoscopy and endoscopy with biopsy to definitively disgnose). A lot can be ruled out with a comprehensive physical exam and interview about symptoms.

Has your daughter lost weight unexpectedly or in a way that is unexplainable? That would be the biggest red flag for something like cancer. But that would also happen with an inflammatory bowel disease. She could also have developed celiac. All that has to be ruled out.

 

[DLgal]

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

Look further outside your area then.

Have her go to her primary care doctor, who will likely give her an urgent referral to a GI. Many times, specialists won't let you "in" without a referral from your doctor, even when your insurance doesn't require it. It's a type of gatekeeping...to prevent people who went to the University of Google Medical School from taking appointments from people who really need them. I've run into this a few times with specialists lately. I had to be referred to my GI doc, but got in within a week and had my colonoscopy a week after that. Same thing happened with a cardiologist recently.

 

[Snowflakey]

Does your DD have hemorrhoids? They must’ve checked for those in the ER.

Actually they didn't check her for that in the ER. They did blood work and a CT scan. She doesn't think she has them??

 

[BrianL]

Does your DD have hemorrhoids? They must’ve checked for those in the ER.

Honestly, they didn't land on that concluson for me until my GP kind of came to that conclusion based on everything else. It does seem like maybe they could have checked first, but they can also come and go so it may have not been noticed.

 

[Snowflakey]

There are specific blood tests that will screen for inflammation (CRP markers) and there is also a blood test that can look for signs of inflammatory bowel disease. Those are just screeners, and a stool sample test would also be indicated to check for blood in the stool. The blood tests are more specialized than just "normal" blood tests. In addition, she would likely have a digital rectal exam, also to check for blood or any masses. All this is part of a normal workup for "change in bowel habits and rectal bleeding."

Stomach pains are not typically associated with colon cancer. That is more likely to be either an inflammatory bowel condition (Ulcerative colitis/Chrohns) or good old IBS (which causes EXCRUCIATING pains, trust me..worse than labor pains for me).

Considering you said she has been dealing with these pains for a year, it's likely not cancer, but one of these other issues. The bleeding is common with both IBS and IBD, but moreso with IBD, which is an autoimmune issue (and which would require both a colonoscopy and endoscopy with biopsy to definitively disgnose). A lot can be ruled out with a comprehensive physical exam and interview about symptoms.

Has your daughter lost weight unexpectedly or in a way that is unexplainable? That would be the biggest red flag for something like cancer. But that would also happen with an inflammatory bowel disease. She could also have developed celiac. All that has to be ruled out.

Thank you so much for all your information.

I've read so many articles about 20 year olds who were diagnosed and all said they had stomach pain. DD's first cousin also had that before he was diagnosed at 32 with colon cancer and also had Chrons and IBS. It isn't excruciating pain, just stomach pain and feels bloated is how she described it.

She hasn't lost weight. I know that is a big factor also.

What's strange is I read a few articles about young men in their early 20's who were diagnosed and were big basketball players in high school/college. My DD was too - just found that interesting....

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Just remembering a story I’ll share. This is how nurses live, sorry. Hoping maybe it makes the OP at least smile (or cringe, not sure which), and maybe feel better. (I know how hard this waiting and worrying can be, as both a Mom, and breast cancer survivor myself.)

My mother was in her mid-80s and living with us. I was at work at the beginning of a long shift (where I can’t easily up and leave) when my daughter called to say that my mother had a ton of bright red blood in the toilet. Ugh.

I told my DD she would have to check my mother for hemorrhoids to decide next steps - a trip to the ER, or Preparation H. (DD is now an RN but was “in training” with me most of her life, lol, so this wasn’t completely out of left field in helping with her grandmother.) Not having a lot of time to talk, I could hear my DD conveying to my mother what I’d said as well as my mother protesting in the background. “Tell her she has to do it!” I said. OK. So she bent over so DD could give a good look to see with a flashlight if she had hemorrhoids. (Poor Mom! And poor DD!) And ugh, she did not. (Sort of shocking for a person that age, actually, who’s given birth four times.)

So off to the ER they went, and I met them there. Turns out Mom had diverticulitis, and that’s what had caused the bleeding. (Food gets stuck in little holes that develop in the colon and becomes infected.) The doctors were laughing because Mom told them she’d been eating celery when she was told to stop eating junk at night while watching TV, and they told her to knock off the celery! (Adding, “That’s what you get for eating healthy!” ) So thankfully that turned out ok but I know it was a memorable night for both Mom and DD. (I always say that it was Mom who really taught DD how to be a nurse! DD later cared for her through hospice, and did everything for her, including all her dressing changes, showers and enemas, you name it!)

 

[Snowflakey]

Look further outside your area then.

Have her go to her primary care doctor, who will likely give her an urgent referral to a GI. Many times, specialists won't let you "in" without a referral from your doctor, even when your insurance doesn't require it. It's a type of gatekeeping...to prevent people who went to the University of Google Medical School from taking appointments from people who really need them. I've run into this a few times with specialists lately. I had to be referred to my GI doc, but got in within a week and had my colonoscopy a week after that. Same thing happened with a cardiologist recently.

She was at the ER on Sunday. Saw her primary Monday who wrote the referral and labeled it "Urgent". She is still waiting to receive a call. She calls every day and they say "we see the referral and it is with the on-call doctor". They won't allow her to talk to a nurse, nothing.

 

[DLgal]

Actually they didn't check her for that in the ER. They did blood work and a CT scan. She doesn't think she has them??

The ER would only have done a basic CBC. What did the CT scan show? If it was clear, she doesn't have cancer. Colon cancer can be easily detected by CT imaging. It's a 100% reliable way to find it.

 

[Meriweather]

I had a friend whose son was diagnosed with colon cancer at 29. He is 40 now. Goes in for regular checks.

My mother died of colon at 59. I get colonoscopys every 5 years. Just had one in June and for the first time no polyps. If I go one more time, I can stop getting them.

 

[DLgal]

Thank you so much for all your information.

I've read so many articles about 20 year olds who were diagnosed and all said they had stomach pain. DD's first cousin also had that before he was diagnosed at 32 with colon cancer and also had Chrons and IBS. It isn't excruciating pain, just stomach pain and feels bloated is how she described it.

She hasn't lost weight. I know that is a big factor also.

What's strange is I read a few articles about young men in their early 20's who were diagnosed and were big basketball players in high school/college. My DD was too - just found that interesting....

Chrohns is a known cause of colon cancer, so her cousin's diagnosis isn't out of the ordinary.

I feel bloated all the time too. IBS sucks.

She could also have SIBO or H.Pylori infections. Again, a gastro will test for all this stuff.

 

[Snowflakey]

The ER would only have done a basic CBC. What did the CT scan show? If it was clear, she doesn't have cancer. Colon cancer can be easily detected by CT imaging. It's a 100% reliable way to find it.

Really? The CT report said the liver, lungs were good but the ER doctor said she needed a colonoscopy to rule out colon cancer......

 

[Christine]

Nothing really to add here to help the OP, but just commenting that my daughter (age 31) will be having her first colonscopy next year. No symptoms. But I mentioned to her that her grandfather had colon cancer with part of his colon removed at age 45. Because of that, her father had an early colonscopy at age 39. They found the pre-cancerous (and likely hereditary) polyps there and removed them. He goes back often for screenings because of that risk.

My daughter could very well have the same genetic risk and with the rise of colon cancer in young people, I told her that she needed to mention it to her doctor. She uses Kaiser and they are big on prevention types of things. Well they did grill her about it all (wanted my husband's pathology report--we no longer have it), but ultimately agreed to give her a colonscopy based on those risk factors.

Hopefully for your daughter it is some other inflammatory process although it seems strange to "hope" for that as these can be quite nasty.

I've known several people with colon cancer and they only ones who ever complained of stomach pain were those in advanced stages and due to the tumor becoming bulkier. The weight loss occurred then also for the same reasons--bulkier tumor, metastic spread. Sounds as if you daughter had a CT scan and so, if the cancer was that advanced, something probably would have been seen.

But mostly those I know who have it had ZERO symptoms with just occult bleeding. My FIL and overt bleeding but he confused it for a while with his hemmorhoids. When they didn't resolve as they usually do, he knew it was more.

 

[DLgal]

Really? The CT report said the liver, lungs were good but the ER doctor said she needed a colonoscopy to rule out colon cancer......

They were looking for metastasis in the liver and lungs, but if she had a visible growth in her colon, they would have seen it. I guess they were saying she needs a colonoscopy to look for early stage colon cancer.

To be honest, that seems like a strange ER workup for abdominal pain and rectal bleeding. Are you SURE she didn't get a digital rectal exam to check for hemhorroids or bleeding? When I had my gallbladder attack, and went to the ER with abdominal pain, the first thing they checked for was blood in my rectum. They were looking for evidence of a GI tract bleed. I can promise you that if I had gone in for rectal bleeding, they would have done an exam there.

 

[LuvOrlando]

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.....

Ulcerative colitis is far more common, it's not great as it's autoimmune, but it's not cancer, same goes for internal hemorrhoids. Of course, be checked but I wouldn't jump the gun and go right to cancer. Part of the problem is some things aren't common knowledge. I had no idea HPV was linked to colon cancer, that's new information.

If there is a lot of this in the family maybe consider screening for Lynch Syndrome, I recently learned there is a lot more known about familial tendencies now.