Brand new mom, 28, whose symptoms were brushed off as ‘normal part of pregnancy’ is diagnosed with stage three COLON CANCER

A New Jersey woman was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at age 28 after doctors dismissed her symptoms as “part of the pregnancy.”

Kelly Spill, now 31, was eight months pregnant with her first child when she developed constipation and blood in her stool.

Her doctors assured her it was normal since she was so close to giving birth. But after eight months, her bowel movements continued to deteriorate. Still, the doctors insisted that the changes were due to the fact that they had just had a baby.

When doctors finally ordered a colonoscopy, they discovered stage three colorectal cancer, which has exploded into an epidemic among young Americans.

Mrs. Spill suffered from constipation, blood in the stools and a lack of appetite. When she saw a pool of blood in the toilet one day, she knew something wasn’t right

“I felt very drained, and it made me question what I was actually feeling, because I was being brushed off,” Ms. Spill told TODAY.com.

“If no one listens to you, it’s very hard to go on.”

The blood in her stool, the most common symptom reported by young people with colorectal cancer, was attributed to pregnancy hemorrhoids, which can affect one in three pregnant women, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Even after giving birth, the doctors assured her it was a normal postpartum symptom. She was still constipated and the blood in her stools was dark and sticky instead of bright red.

Ms. Spill was also in the middle of moving from California to New Jersey at the time, so she thought stress might be to blame.

However, when her son was five months old, her symptoms became even more concerning. She lost her appetite, became full after just one bite, and lost seven pounds.

Then, one day, there was “a pool of blood” in the toilet. Then she realized something was wrong.

In the emergency room, the doctors told Ms. Spill to cut out the spicy foods.

After seeing another primary care doctor and a gastroenterologist, she finally underwent a colonoscopy and was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer.

She burst into tears in the parking lot.

Data from JAMA Surgery shows colon cancer is expected to increase by 90 percent in people ages 20 to 34

The same data shows that rectal cancer will increase by 124 percent in the youngest age group

The number of cases of colorectal cancer is increasing worldwide, especially in young people.

Under-50 rates in the US are expected to double by 2030, and colorectal cancer is also expected to become the leading cause of cancer deaths among Americans under 50 by the end of this decade.

This is based on data from JAMA operationThis study found that between 2010 and 2030, colon cancer will increase by 90 percent in people aged 20 to 34. Rectal cancer will have increased by 124 percent in the same age group.

Cancers of the colon and rectum are the third most common type in the US and the third leading cause of death in both men and women.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that about 153,000 cases of colorectal cancer will be discovered this year, including 19,500 among those under age 50.

About 52,550 people are expected to die from the disease.

Experts are still working to unravel the cause of this devastating epidemic.

They often blame unhealthy diets, alcohol consumption and a sedentary lifestyle for this shift.

A Cleveland Clinic study suggested that eating red meat and sugar could lead to a higher chance of young people developing colorectal cancer.

However, some studies indicate otherwise.

A 2021 studyFor example, research found that patients with early stage cancer were less likely to become obese or smoke than their older counterparts.

a study published in April examined how being born by cesarean section influenced the likelihood of developing early-onset colorectal cancer. The researchers found that women born by cesarean section were more likely to develop colorectal cancer earlier in life than women who were born vaginally. There was no connection between men.

In addition, antibiotic use has been shown to influence this risk. A study in the journal Gut found that long-term antibiotic use increased the risk of early colorectal cancer. However, it was also associated with a lower risk of rectal cancer.

And one study showed that the fungus Cladosporium sp. was more common in the tumors of young patients than in older subjects.

It is still unclear how Cladosporium sp. could lead to this increase in cases, but the researchers believe it may damage cell DNA. This could turn them into cancer cells.

These environmental factors have a lasting impact on the gut microbiome, which experts believe may increase the risk of colorectal cancer, even if exposure is limited to early life.

Ms. Spill started experiencing symptoms when she was eight months pregnant with her first child. After the diagnosis, she frozen her eggs and has since given birth to a daughter again

Ms. Spill was unable to marry in Switzerland after the diagnosis as she intended, although she and her partner eventually married in Washington state

When she was diagnosed, the doctors told Ms. Spill it was time to save her eggs before chemotherapy and radiation so she could have another child later. She and her partner also planned to get married in Switzerland. When she asked the doctor if she could still do that, he said ‘absolutely not’.

As she prepared for treatment, a nurse asked her if she would be willing to participate in a clinical trial of an immunotherapy drug. If the tumor became smaller as a result, she could skip chemotherapy and radiation.

The trial is still ongoing and has enrolled 42 patients so far. These are patients who receive the drug dostarlimab via an infusion every three weeks for six months.

Ms. Spill noticed a difference after her second infusion and “felt great.”

After four treatments, her tumor had halved.

By the ninth treatment, the tumor had completely disappeared. She said it was “probably the best day of my life.”

Ms. Spill is far from the only young patient whose symptoms have been dismissed by doctors.

Part of what makes colorectal cancer difficult to diagnose is its symptoms, which can often be attributed to other conditions. However, some stand out more than others.

From a study published earlier this year in The New York Times magazine Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that the most commonly reported symptoms were abdominal pain, blood in the stool, diarrhea, and iron deficiency anemia.

In addition, a 2020 study of Colorectal Cancer Alliance68 percent of the participants said they had blood in their stools. The mean age of the participants was 42 years.

The same study also found that many patients with colorectal cancer symptoms were initially misdiagnosed or rejected.

Going undiagnosed for extended periods of time can cause colorectal cancer to progress to a later stage, making it more difficult to treat.

Mrs. Spill has since married and had her second child, a daughter named Maya Grace. She also encourages others to speak up if they feel something is off.

“If you sense something is wrong with your body, go to your gut,” she said. “Really speak for yourself, keep pushing.”