Four signs a young adult might have colon cancer

By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, May 5, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Four symptoms could provide early warning of colon cancer in young adults.

Being aware of these red flags could lead to earlier detection and diagnosis for those under 50, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis said.

Telltale symptoms are abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, diarrhea and iron deficiency anemia.

According to the American Cancer Society, the death rate from colon cancer has been declining for several decades among older adults who undergo regular colonoscopies and benefit from improved treatment. However, more younger people are diagnosed at later stages and die. In fact, the number of young adults with colon cancer has nearly doubled in recent years.

“We want young adults to be aware of these potentially very telltale signs and symptoms and act accordingly, particularly because people under 50 are considered to be at low risk,” the lead investigator said. Yin Cao. She is an associate professor of surgery in the university’s division of public health sciences.

Young adults often do not benefit from routine colon cancer screening. In 2021, the US Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended age for colon cancer screening from 50 to 45.

Two symptoms – rectal bleeding and iron deficiency anemia – indicate the need for endoscopy and follow-up. Iron deficiency anemia means that there are too few healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen.

“Educating primary care physicians, gastroenterologists and emergency physicians is also crucial,” Cao said, noting that many early-onset colon cancers are found in emergency rooms.

“There are often significant diagnostic delays with this cancer,” she explained in a university press release.

For the new study, Cao and his colleagues looked at the cases of more than 5,000 patients with early-onset colon cancer.

THE study found an increased risk for people who had one or more of the telltale symptoms between three months and two years before their diagnosis.

A single symptom almost doubled their risk. Having two symptoms tripled their cancer risk. Three or more symptoms increased their risk more than 6.5 times, the researchers reported.

“It usually takes about three months to get a diagnosis from the time a person first goes to the doctor with one or more of the warning signs and symptoms we’ve identified,” said the first author of the study. Dr Cassandra Fritzassistant professor of medicine in the division of gastroenterology.

“But in this analysis, we found that some young adults had symptoms up to two years before their diagnosis. This may be part of the reason why many of these young patients had more advanced disease at diagnosis than what we normally see in older people who get screened regularly,” Fritz added.

In his research group, which focuses on identifying risk factors, Cao found that obesity, prolonged sitting, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and sugary drinks can contribute to the rise in breast cancer. colon in young people.

“Since the majority of cases of early-onset colorectal cancer have been and will continue to be diagnosed after presentation of symptoms, it is crucial to recognize these warning signs and symptoms early and to perform a diagnostic work-up as soon as possible. as possible,” Cao said. “By doing so, we can diagnose the disease earlier, which may reduce the need for more aggressive treatment and improve quality of life and patient survival rates.”

The results were published on May 4 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The US National Cancer Institute has more on Colon Cancer.

SOURCE: Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, press release, May 3, 2023

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