Global Courant
Contents
This year researchers from the American Cancer Society to predict that approximately 153,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with colon cancer. But unlike in recent years, they say a growing percentage of these patients are likely to be younger adults under 50 – a predicted 13%. That is 9% more than were diagnosed in 2020. And while that’s not a huge portion of the population (~19,890 people), it’s still important to know what symptoms to watch for.The CDC currently recommends starting colorectal cancer screening at age 45, which means it’s up to us for younger patients to know our bodies and raise a red flag if something isn’t right. But how do we know when it’s time to make that appointment?Recently, 31-year-old Bri Mahon (@brimahon), a mom of twins living in Newport Beach, California, took to TikTok to share the symptoms leading up to her stage three colon cancer diagnosis, and her story is so important to hear.In the video, which has been viewed nearly 2 million times, Bri shares that for the past few years she has had digestive issues that she believed were due to IBS. Then she noticed that her anxiety levels increased and she felt a lot of fatigue. “I had panic attacks and I think it’s because my body was really, really tired and going through what it was going through growing a tumor.”Then, last September, she gave birth to her twins who were born prematurely and had to stay in the NICU for four months. During this time, she noticed blood in her stool, but thought it was related to the pregnancy. Plus, she says, “I didn’t even really think about what I was going through. I thought it was stress. I thought it was depression. I thought it was anxiety, kind of all these things coming back up. My fatigue was very bad, but again, I justified it in my head, since my boys are in the NICU.”But she shared that she finally sounded the alarm with her doctor when she started noticing more regular blood in her stool. Her doctor then referred her to a GI specialist who ordered a colonoscopy, performed 10 biopsies, and finally gave Bri her diagnosis.In the comments, people shared their own experiences checking out, like this person who pushed for a colonoscopy when they were 23 and found a precancerous polyp. By the way, a polyp is the medical term for a growth in the lining of your intestine.Survivors also chimed in to share that while this diagnosis can be terrifying to hear, they made it through treatment and are now cancer-free.People also shouted how medical gaslighting can make patients, especially young women, question our symptoms.And others shared that they had the same symptoms and received a different diagnosis. So while these signs may indicate cancer, you won’t know for sure until you get checked out.Since each individual patient’s case is different, I contacted Dr. Amit Garg. He is a board certified hematologist/oncologist who has been practicing since 2014 and who is also posted on TikTok to raise awareness of colon cancer among younger adults.First I asked Dr. Garg about signs that could indicate colon cancer. He said: “Common symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding and unexplained iron deficiency anemia.” While I wouldn’t run to the doctor because of diarrhea that only lasts a day or two, symptoms that last longer without another apparent cause should set alarm bells ringing.He also shared some factors that can predispose someone to developing this cancer. “Known risk factors for colorectal cancer include hereditary syndromes (Lynch syndrome, adenomatous polyposis syndrome), personal family history of colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis). There are risk factors that have been shown to increase the risk of increase colorectal cancer but do not affect screening guidelines (obesity, diabetes, red and processed meat, tobacco, alcohol consumption).If you’re concerned about your risk of colon cancer, Dr. Garg says making some lifestyle changes can help prevent it. “Protective factors include physical activity, high-fiber diet. Aspirin and NSAID use have been shown to reduce adenomas in the colon, which in the long term reduces the risk of colorectal cancer.”And he urges anyone experiencing unusual symptoms to get checked. “Any unexplained abdominal symptoms should be evaluated by a physician to determine if lab tests, imaging, or colonoscopy are needed. Don’t ignore the symptoms!” Seriously, don’t!!!Bri told BuzzFeed that while she’s usually cool under pressure, it was really overwhelming to hear her GI doctor say she probably had cancer. “When I heard the doctor say she thinks it’s cancer, I hated thinking about what this means for my babies. For the next few days I felt like I was living in a different world from my ‘reality ‘, and I didn’t share anything with friends or family until my biopsy results came back positive for cancer two days later.”But once her diagnosis was confirmed, Bri found herself in a whirlwind of appointments making a treatment plan. “We found out I have stage 3c colorectal cancer, and because of where my tumor is located and its aggressive nature, I will start with two rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, first with pills, then chemotherapy infusion. Once my chemotherapy and radiation treatment is complete, I’m looking at surgery to remove the remaining part of the tumor. The whole process will probably take six to nine months, not counting recovery time from surgery and chemo.” She shared that she is also doing IVF now because her treatment plan will affect her fertility.Bri says the response to her video has been very moving and she hopes it can help at least one person get the care they need. “I’ve read a lot of comments from personal stories and heartbreaks, as well as success stories and celebrations. I was surprised that so many people said they were worried about the things they were going through and getting checked out or scheduling a colonoscopy because of my symptom video … I hope one person sees this, gets a colonoscopy or goes to the doctor for something they’ve been putting off and it saves them.”She also shared that living with this disease is so much more than the stereotype of the brave cancer warrior. “I’ve had a lot of times where I felt completely motivated, and I’m also on a roller coaster where I have days where I just want to cry and cry and cry — for my boys, for my family, for what’s to come. I feel like right now before treatment begins I’m in the eye of the storm In some ways I feel more present than ever in my entire life Every moment with my twins is extra special I’m crying more tears of joy than I ever “Because I just really love my life. That scares me too.”And her physical experience hasn’t been stereotyped either. “I think the most shocking thing about my diagnosis is that I would never have guessed it was cancer. Of course I felt in a way that I wanted to get checked out, but at first I assumed I had IBS and nothing to worry about Every time I’ve thought about cancer, I had no image of an active, incredibly healthy 31-year-old with energy. It still feels very surreal to me to get my diagnosis.”Her treatment plan is also not what you would imagine based on what you’ve seen in movies and TV shows. “It has amazed me that many people don’t know about modern treatments and chemotherapy. Plus, most people associate cancer with complete hair loss and full-time hospitalization and incredible illness…I will be taking chemo pills from home and hopefully won’t have as much hair loss as the Most people think when it comes to chemotherapy. Even with infusion chemotherapy, the biggest obstacles associated with it are fatigue, nausea, some hair loss but not all, and cold sensitivity.”Finally, Bri says, “I’m lucky that we caught my cancer early enough so that I can get the treatment and have a chance. They said if I had waited, the cancer would have spread quickly, as it already seems to. see in my lymph nodes.” nodes. My purpose in sharing my story, journey and all this is to show everyone who needs to hear and see that they can get through hard things. I want to show my boys that strength comes from softness and vulnerability and not giving out anyway. It’s actually something they taught me going through the NICU, and now I can take that courage and strength on my own journey. “Continue following Bri TikTok or watch her GoFundMe.This 31-year-old woman shared the subtle signs she had
This year researchers from the American Cancer Society to predict that approximately 153,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with colon cancer. But unlike in recent years, they say a growing percentage of these patients are likely to be younger adults under 50 – a predicted 13%. That is 9% more than were diagnosed in 2020. And while that’s not a huge portion of the population (~19,890 people), it’s still important to know what symptoms to watch for.
It’s not entirely clear to researchers why more and more younger people are developing colorectal cancer, although it may be related to diet, alcohol consumption and other lifestyle factors. But on an individual level, doctors really don’t know why one person gets cancer and another doesn’t. It’s pretty much random.
Athima Tongloom/Getty Images
The CDC currently recommends starting colorectal cancer screening at age 45, which means it’s up to us for younger patients to know our bodies and raise a red flag if something isn’t right. But how do we know when it’s time to make that appointment?
Recently, 31-year-old Bri Mahon (@brimahon), a mom of twins living in Newport Beach, California, took to TikTok to share the symptoms leading up to her stage three colon cancer diagnosis, and her story is so important to hear.
In the video, which has been viewed nearly 2 million times, Bri shares that for the past few years she has had digestive issues that she believed were due to IBS. Then she noticed that her anxiety levels increased and she felt a lot of fatigue. “I had panic attacks and I think it’s because my body was really, really tired and going through what it was going through growing a tumor.”
Then, last September, she gave birth to her twins who were born prematurely and had to stay in the NICU for four months. During this time, she noticed blood in her stool, but thought it was related to the pregnancy. Plus, she says, “I didn’t even really think about what I was going through. I thought it was stress. I thought it was depression. I thought it was anxiety, kind of all these things coming back up. My fatigue was very bad, but again, I justified it in my head, since my boys are in the NICU.”
But she shared that she finally sounded the alarm with her doctor when she started noticing more regular blood in her stool. Her doctor then referred her to a GI specialist who ordered a colonoscopy, performed 10 biopsies, and finally gave Bri her diagnosis.
@brimahon / Via tiktok. com
In the comments, people shared their own experiences checking out, like this person who pushed for a colonoscopy when they were 23 and found a precancerous polyp. By the way, a polyp is the medical term for a growth in the lining of your intestine.
Survivors also chimed in to share that while this diagnosis can be terrifying to hear, they made it through treatment and are now cancer-free.
People also shouted how medical gaslighting can make patients, especially young women, question our symptoms.
And others shared that they had the same symptoms and received a different diagnosis. So while these signs may indicate cancer, you won’t know for sure until you get checked out.
Since each individual patient’s case is different, I contacted Dr. Amit Garg. He is a board certified hematologist/oncologist who has been practicing since 2014 and who is also posted on TikTok to raise awareness of colon cancer among younger adults.
Dr. Amit Garg, @blooddocdad / Via tiktok. com
First I asked Dr. Garg about signs that could indicate colon cancer. He said: “Common symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding and unexplained iron deficiency anemia.” While I wouldn’t run to the doctor because of diarrhea that only lasts a day or two, symptoms that last longer without another apparent cause should set alarm bells ringing.
Sebastian Kaulitzki/Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF
He also shared some factors that can predispose someone to developing this cancer. “Known risk factors for colorectal cancer include hereditary syndromes (Lynch syndrome, adenomatous polyposis syndrome), personal family history of colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis). There are risk factors that have been shown to increase the risk of increase colorectal cancer but do not affect screening guidelines (obesity, diabetes, red and processed meat, tobacco, alcohol consumption).
If you’re concerned about your risk of colon cancer, Dr. Garg says making some lifestyle changes can help prevent it. “Protective factors include physical activity, high-fiber diet. Aspirin and NSAID use have been shown to reduce adenomas in the colon, which in the long term reduces the risk of colorectal cancer.”
Hobo_018 / Getty Images
And he urges anyone experiencing unusual symptoms to get checked. “Any unexplained abdominal symptoms should be evaluated by a physician to determine if lab tests, imaging, or colonoscopy are needed. Don’t ignore the symptoms!” Seriously, don’t!!!
Bri told BuzzFeed that while she’s usually cool under pressure, it was really overwhelming to hear her GI doctor say she probably had cancer. “When I heard the doctor say she thinks it’s cancer, I hated thinking about what this means for my babies. For the next few days I felt like I was living in a different world from my ‘reality ‘, and I didn’t share anything with friends or family until my biopsy results came back positive for cancer two days later.”
But once her diagnosis was confirmed, Bri found herself in a whirlwind of appointments making a treatment plan. “We found out I have stage 3c colorectal cancer, and because of where my tumor is located and its aggressive nature, I will start with two rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, first with pills, then chemotherapy infusion. Once my chemotherapy and radiation treatment is complete, I’m looking at surgery to remove the remaining part of the tumor. The whole process will probably take six to nine months, not counting recovery time from surgery and chemo.” She shared that she is also doing IVF now because her treatment plan will affect her fertility.
Bri says the response to her video has been very moving and she hopes it can help at least one person get the care they need. “I’ve read a lot of comments from personal stories and heartbreaks, as well as success stories and celebrations. I was surprised that so many people said they were worried about the things they were going through and getting checked out or scheduling a colonoscopy because of my symptom video … I hope one person sees this, gets a colonoscopy or goes to the doctor for something they’ve been putting off and it saves them.”
She also shared that living with this disease is so much more than the stereotype of the brave cancer warrior. “I’ve had a lot of times where I felt completely motivated, and I’m also on a roller coaster where I have days where I just want to cry and cry and cry — for my boys, for my family, for what’s to come. I feel like right now before treatment begins I’m in the eye of the storm In some ways I feel more present than ever in my entire life Every moment with my twins is extra special I’m crying more tears of joy than I ever “Because I just really love my life. That scares me too.”
And her physical experience hasn’t been stereotyped either. “I think the most shocking thing about my diagnosis is that I would never have guessed it was cancer. Of course I felt in a way that I wanted to get checked out, but at first I assumed I had IBS and nothing to worry about Every time I’ve thought about cancer, I had no image of an active, incredibly healthy 31-year-old with energy. It still feels very surreal to me to get my diagnosis.”
Ontherunphoto/Getty Images
Her treatment plan is also not what you would imagine based on what you’ve seen in movies and TV shows. “It has amazed me that many people don’t know about modern treatments and chemotherapy. Plus, most people associate cancer with complete hair loss and full-time hospitalization and incredible illness…I will be taking chemo pills from home and hopefully won’t have as much hair loss as the Most people think when it comes to chemotherapy. Even with infusion chemotherapy, the biggest obstacles associated with it are fatigue, nausea, some hair loss but not all, and cold sensitivity.”
