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"I spent a few months coming to the doctor to try to get a diagnosis.In the first four months, I probably saw six different doctors," said the newcomer. "They could not find anything wrong with me, even though I was pointing out my family history of colorectal cancer.They thought I was too young for that."
Newcomer stated that she was developing persistent cough and chest x-ray in the following months. The X-ray revealed lesions to the lungs and a bad.
Once the bad and lung tumors were biopsied and badyzed, the doctors confirmed what Newcomer had always suspected.
"Eleven months after I first complained of symptoms, I was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer," Newcomer said. She was 35 years old at the time.
"It's a neglected population because they are younger"
The research was conducted among 1,195 patients with colorectal cancer and survivors aged 20 to 49, mostly from the United States. The newcomer was one of them.
The study found that the majority of survey respondents, 57%, were diagnosed between 40 and 49 years old; one third were diagnosed between 30 and 39 years; about 10% were diagnosed before the age of 30.
Although most patients with colorectal cancer over the age of 50 are diagnosed at early stages of the disease, new research found that most younger patients and study survivors, 71%, reported being diagnosed at advanced stages 3 and 4.
This discovery suggests that in the absence of screening and awareness of the possibility of colorectal cancer at these ages, the signs of their cancer may have been forgotten at an early stage.
Survey responses also showed that most patients and survivors, 63%, waited 3 to 12 months before seeing their doctor for symptoms because they did not recognize that their symptoms were related to cancer.
In addition, 67% of those surveyed said they had consulted with at least two doctors before receiving a correct diagnosis of colorectal cancer, which includes cancers of the colon and rectum.
"It's important that people know the symptoms," she said.
The limitations of the research included the fact that the survey responses were self-reported, and further research is needed to determine whether similar results could emerge among a larger sample of patients compared to older patients.
"But it does happen, and I think for people who are showing signs of constipation, rectal bleeding, or having trouble going to the bathroom – they should be badessed for cancer, among other things," he said. he declares.
Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer and Screening Guidelines
The American Cancer Society updated its colorectal cancer screening guidelines last year to recommend that at-risk adults be screened at age 45 instead of age 50, as previously reported. Screening options can range from a very sensitive fecal test every year to a colonoscopy every 10 years.
African Americans, Alaska Native Americans, and individuals with a family history or personal history of colon or rectal polyps are among the highest risk individuals. these risk factors may require screening at an earlier age.
"What's really important, is that people who have a family history of colon cancer – any first-degree parent with colon cancer at any age – are screened at 40 or 10 years of age. before the diagnosis of the family member, "says Oberstein, who was not involved in the guidelines.
"So, if your father was 45, get examined at 35," she says.
Previous studies have suggested that the rate of colorectal cancer deaths increases in adults under 55 in the United States.
An "increase" in colon cancer among young adults
As for Newcomer, in 2012, she no longer had any evidence of illness and had survived cancer since then, but said that her story could help raise awareness of how easily colorectal cancer can be overlooked in young people adults.
"It is very important to pbad this information on to other patients and survivors," she said. "The main problem is how to educate young people and health professionals about the progression of early colorectal cancer."
Although these incidence rates among young adults are still low, the study found that, as a result, a person born around 1990 would now have a twice as high risk of colon cancer and quadruple the risk of rectal cancer. at the same age as if she was born around 1950.
"It's always good to be a lawyer for yourself"
Anecdotally, Azad said, she has seen more colorectal cancer patients under the age of 50 – including in her 20s or 30s – in recent years, when it was very rare before .
"But these are not real data, it's the experience of a doctor and I work in a larger center where people come for second and third opinions," Azad said.
Often, when symptoms of colorectal cancer appear in younger adults, a doctor may refer that patient to other doctors for different opinions.
"If you feel worried about something and your doctor does not, but your symptoms persist, it is still reasonable to get a second opinion (…) C & # 39; is always good to be his own lawyer, "Azad said.
"When you have symptoms consistent with the diagnosis of colorectal cancer, you should be evaluated in the same way that a person would be evaluated if she was 30 years older," she said. "The default solution should be to rule out serious illnesses, including cancer, rather than baduming that something is not a cancer or a benign condition."
Denise Powell from CNN contributed to this report.
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