Doctors are warning people under 50 to look out for two symptoms – amid an unprecedented rise in cases of bowel cancer in young patients.
Dr. James Cleary, a gastroenterologist and oncologist, said fatigue and unintentional weight loss can be signs of the disease often called a ‘silent killer’.
He advised people to have a colonoscopy if they show the symptoms – and not to be deterred by age.
Colon cancer can grow and spread for years without being detected because the symptoms are dismissed as something else.
But by the end of this decade, the number of cases among people under 50 is expected to double – and by then it will be the leading cause of cancer deaths in the US.
Doctors have warned that if you have anemia and unintentional weight loss, you should have a colonoscopy to check for colorectal cancer
Data from JAMA Surgery shows that colon cancer is expected to increase by 90 percent in people ages 20 to 34 by 2030. Doctors aren’t sure what’s driving the mysterious increase
Doctors are still working to unravel the cause of this mysterious epidemic, although unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles and alcohol consumption are often blamed.
Gastroenterologists have now said that despite the fact that bowel cancer screening is not recommended until age 45, young people with symptoms such as anemia and unintentional weight loss should still get a colonoscopy.
Dr. Cleary, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, said Business insider: ‘If you have one symptom, you might consider having a colonoscopy, but if you have two, the chances are statistically higher and you really should get a colonoscopy.’
A colonoscopy is an examination in which a doctor inserts a flexible tube with a camera at the end into the rectum.
The exam is designed to look for changes in the colon, such as inflammation and growths called polyps, which are clumps of cells that form along the colon. These are usually harmless, although some can slowly develop into cancer.
Amid concerns about the rising rate among younger adults, the U.S. Preventive Services Taskforce lowered the screening age from 50 to 45 in 2021.
One of the most noticeable symptoms is blood in your stool or when you wipe. Bright red blood is ‘newer’ and comes from the end of the large intestine, near the rectum. This can often be mistaken for hemorrhoids, especially in young people.
That blood loss can lead to iron deficiency anemia, Dr. Cleary noted. Additionally, he said bleeding can occur at a microscopic level, so patients are unaware of it.
Colon cancer can cause you to have blood in your poop, a change in bowel habits, a lump in your intestine that can cause blockages. Some people also suffer from weight loss as a result of these symptoms
A 2020 Colorectal Cancer Alliance study found that many patients with colorectal cancer symptoms were initially misdiagnosed or dismissed
Blood loss can lead to anemia because the body rejects red blood cells, which contain iron.
Iron deficiency anemia is most common in menstruating women and vegetarians, because they are less likely to consume enough iron-rich foods. The condition can lead to fatigue, weakness, pale skin, chest pain, cold hands or feet and brittle nails, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“When someone is diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia, I think the important question will always be, ‘Why does that person have iron deficiency anemia?'” said Dr. Cleary.
“And if you really can’t think of a good goal, that person should actually have a colonoscopy.”
Unintentional weight loss is another sign that you may need a colonoscopy, Dr. Cleary said. This is because colon cancer can lead to changes in bowel habits, such as increased diarrhea.
Persistent diarrhea means the body is digesting food too quickly to absorb calories or nutrients. In addition, colon cancer can lead to nausea and stomach pain, which reduces your appetite and makes you eat less.
Dr. Cleary said he tends to see unintentional weight loss in late-stage colon cancer. “It’s usually quite significant, 10 to 20 pounds over six months to a year,” he said.
Experts have also warned that narrow stools could be a sign of cancer, as they could be the result of tumors or other obstructions blocking the colon. More often, though, an occasional loose poop could simply be a sign of constipation or a condition like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
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 approximately 153,000 cases of colorectal cancer will be discovered in 2023, including 19,500 among those under 50 years of age. About 53,000 people are expected to die from the disease this year.
Experts still don’t know what’s behind this epidemic, although recent studies have made progress.
In fact, research published earlier this month found that patients with the KRAS mutation, which makes the cancer more aggressive, had higher levels of the bacteria fusobacterium, clostridium and shewanella.
The researchers noted that these bacteria can increase inflammation and cause tumors to grow faster.