Spotting colorectal cancer early can save your life

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month — a good time to sound the alarm about the shocking rise in the number of young adults under age 50 being diagnosed with the disease.

Colorectal cancer has become the

No. 1 cancer killer of men under age 50 and the No. 2 cancer killer of women under age 50, according to the American Cancer Society’s 2023 Cancer Facts and Figures, released in January. Two decades ago, colorectal cancer was the fourth leading cause of cancer death in both younger men and women.

Tragically my brother was at the leading edge of this trend when he passed away from colorectal cancer at age 44 in 2000.

In 2018, the American Cancer Society recognized this trend and lowered colorectal screening guidelines for people of average risk from age 50 to age 45. Other organizations followed suit.

With my family risk, I began getting regular colonoscopies from age 37 every 5 years, as recommended by my doctor. This disease is curable if detected early, so I urge everyone of average risk to begin the screening process at age 45. The screening process is no big deal and it could save your life!

If you develop symptoms of colorectal cancer prior to 45, or you have a family history, see your doctor right away.

Even a small amount of blood in your stool could signal cancer, not hemorrhoids.

No one likes to talk about the warning signs, but here are other symptoms to beware of: a change in bowel habits; diarrhea, constipation, or feeling your bowel does not empty all the way; abdominal pain, aches or cramps that don’t go away; unintentional or unexplained weight loss.

In 2024, there will be more than 2 million new cases of cancer diagnosed in the U.S.

The good news is that cancer mortality rates are coming down.

The exception to that is colorectal cancer in young adults. Please listen to your doctor and make your appointment to have your colon screened; it could be lifesaving.