With more and more young people being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, it’s natural to be nervous about the disease.
In the meantime, it’s important that you stay alert about colorectal cancer ― even if you’re young.
When she finally did, she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.
“All of these symptoms don’t necessarily mean … you have colon cancer,” said Dueker.
And while the cause could be colon cancer or a precancerous polyp, detecting the disease early is the best way to manage it.
Being anxious about colorectal cancer is understandable given the rising number of young people receiving the diagnosis.
As a medical oncologist at Yale Cancer Center and co-director of the colorectal program at the Center for Gastrointestinal Cancers, Dr. Michael Cecchini says the number of colorectal cancer cases in individuals under 50 has been rising since the 1990s.
We don’t know the precise cause of the rising rates. According to Cecchini, experts “think it’s something lifestyle and environmental, but exactly what that is, we don’t know.”. Scientists are looking into possible causes. Even if you are young, it is crucial that you remain vigilant about colorectal cancer in the interim.
Being aware of the warning signs is a part of this. Additionally, pencil-thin poop is one unexpected symptom that has been receiving more attention on social media.
“I noticed that my stools were thinner than normal, along with other red-flag symptoms like unexplained weight loss and diarrhea,” one TikTok user shared on the platform. The first time she went to the doctor, she believed she had irritable bowel syndrome. When she finally did, she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.
Here is what professionals have to say about this specific problem.
A narrow stool may be a warning sign.
According to Cecchini, doctors occasionally encounter patients whose “stools are much thinner, or they’re pencil in thickness and size, which is a description that some patients with colorectal cancer will have.”.
Tumors that line the entire interior of the colon or are located close to its end tend to cause this, which narrows the passage of any stool through it, Cecchini explained.
Medical News Today states that a healthy stool should be long, sausage-shaped, and come out in one piece or in multiple smaller pieces. “What’s most concerning is when thin stools are a new change that persists,” said Dr. Jeffrey Dueker, an associate professor of gastroenterology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and a gastroenterologist at UPMC.
Dueker emphasized that any discernible change in your bowel habits may be a warning sign, but it is not always an indication of colon cancer. This may involve changing the shape or consistency of the stool as well as using the restroom more or less frequently.
One of the less frequent indicators of colorectal cancer is pencil-thin stool. According to Cecchini, “when it exists, it is extremely concerning.”. It’s simply not among the disease’s more prevalent symptoms. The more common symptoms are stomach pain and blood in the stool. Inadvertent weight loss is an additional indicator. Furthermore, some colorectal cancer cases show no symptoms at all.
You should inform your physician of any symptoms you observe.
Never ignore your symptoms, Cecchini advised. If you experience blood in your stool, persistent stomach pain, a change in your bowel habits, or unexplained weight loss, you should notify your doctor.
Younger people are very prone to believe that “it’s just hemorrhoids,” or something similar. and that’s possible, but those things can also coexist,” Cecchini said. “Hemorrhoids and cancer are common in people, but it could also be something else entirely. “”.
Colonoscopy or other colorectal cancer screening is generally the best way to reduce your risk or detect colorectal cancer early. According to Cecchini, “screening with colonoscopy or stool-based tests” are options. To find the best screening for you, speak with your doctor.
Screenings begin at 45 for most people. But according to Dueker, you might be qualified for a colonoscopy before the age of 45 if you meet specific requirements or exhibit any of the symptoms listed above.
Dueker clarified, “Anyone who has a first-degree relative — mother, father, brother, sister, son, or daughter — who has had colon cancer, especially if that person was diagnosed before the age of 50, is going to be at higher risk for colorectal cancer because of that family history. They should talk to their doctor about when they should start getting colonoscopies.”.
Dueker added that you should have a colonoscopy before the age of 45 if you have a history of colon cancer, certain genetic syndromes, radiation therapy to the pelvic or abdominal region, or inflammatory bowel disease.
To put it simply, it’s critical to keep your doctor updated on your health history and any possible problems you may be having. You should take everything seriously, but you shouldn’t freak out.
“Not all of these symptoms indicate dot. According to Dueker, you have colon cancer. Rather, they might indicate that a colonoscopy is required to ascertain the cause. Furthermore, early disease detection is the best way to manage the condition, even though the cause could be precancerous polyps or colon cancer.
It’s critical to detect cancer early by screening or raising awareness of certain symptoms. Cecchini stated, “these symptoms so that we diagnose cancer at an earlier stage, where it’s more treatable and hopefully curable.”. “The majority of people with this cancer are still cured each year. “”.
This article was first published on HuffPost.
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