Rhianna Benson
A doctor specialising in colon and rectal cancer at Yale University is raising awareness of the most overlooked indicators of the disease in under-50s.
Haddon Patel, MD, a colorectal cancer surgeon, noted the staggering surge in cases amongst members of the Gen Z and Millennial communities in recent years, describing it as a 'clear uptick'.
His comments come in light of the American Cancer Society publishing a study earlier this year, recording that deaths from colon and rectal cancers in this age group had risen by 1.1 per cent annually since 2005, making it the most common cause of cancer-related deaths after previously coming in fifth.
The steady rise in cases has led several health bodies, including the Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and the Multi-society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer in the US, to campaign for colorectal cancer screenings to be brought forward.
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These groups recommend screenings take place from the age of 45 - five years earlier than what is currently recommended - and continue periodically until the age of 75. The issue is, however, that many patients are being diagnosed at an even younger age than 45.
Patel cited a father-of-four in his 30s who recently received a colorectal cancer diagnosis, after he initially dismissed his rectal bleeding as the result of haemorrhoids. On another occasion, over a week-long period, the medic and his colleagues diagnosed seven patients with rectal cancer, the oldest of whom was 35 and the youngest, just 18.
With this in mind, Dr Patel believe an awareness of the most common, and frequently overlooked, symptoms is vital when it comes to arranging treatment.
According to Yale Medicine's official website, these include:
Dr Patel explained: "Even if you're in your 20s or 30s, you should get checked out if you have rectal bleeding, if you have any change in your bowel habits, any change in appetite (like feeling 'full' early), weight loss, or abdominal pain that is not explained."
He went on to emphasise that symptoms can vary between colorectal cancer patients - if may be that one patient endures watery stools, whilst another's are more solid than before.
"So, a mass in the right colon may go unnoticed, because the loose stool is able to move past any mass until it nearly or completely obstructs the bowel," he explained.
"So many patients are referred to me for treatment of haemorrhoids, but you need to make sure rectal bleeding is not something more serious, no matter how old the patient."