Health experts and survivors urge early screening as cancer becomes more prevalent in those under 50.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — While most young, healthy people assume cancer is something they don’t need to worry about until later in life, doctors are seeing an alarming trend with more and more young people receiving colorectal cancer diagnoses.
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, highlighting a disease that remains the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, behind only lung cancer. However, the demographics are shifting in ways that are concerning.
“We’re seeing more young patients being diagnosed, and unfortunately, more young people dying of colorectal cancer,” said Dr. Guillaume Chevrollier, a colorectal surgeon at Novant Health.
Statistics confirm this troubling pattern. Since 1994, colorectal cancer rates in people under 50 have increased by 51%. Medical experts now warn that by 2030, it could become the deadliest cancer for people between 20 and 49 years old.
Jerome Trehy credits his persistence with saving his life. For months, the Charlotte resident felt something was wrong with his digestive system. After advocating for himself with his primary care physician, he received a referral to a specialist who ordered a colonoscopy — one that changed his life.
“I was very lucky to find it very early,” said Trehy, who was diagnosed with sigmoid cancer, a type of colorectal cancer.
At 38 years old, Trehy’s diagnosis came well before the typical screening age. “What if I had waited till 45, right? That would mean seven years from being 38, and I could be facing a way different outcome,” he reflected.
Dr. Chevrollier emphasizes the importance of recognizing warning signs early. “We do want to raise awareness about identifying those symptoms if patients are developing them early, so that they can identify them and tell their physicians so they can be worked up appropriately,” he said.
Key warning signs include changes in bowel habits, discomfort in the abdomen, and unexplained fatigue. Blood in the stool, unintentional weight loss, and persistent abdominal pain are also significant indicators that warrant medical attention.
Trehy’s experience serves as a reminder to take digestive symptoms seriously. “I think about how many people are dismissive of like, ‘Oh, I’m fine. Oh, I’ve always got gut issues or IBS or whatever.’ But it doesn’t mean that, you know, if you’ve been having sustained stuff, check it out,” he advised.
Doctors recommend that most people begin regular colorectal cancer screening at age 45, which is normally covered by insurance. Those with symptoms or family history of colorectal cancer should consult with their healthcare provider about earlier screening, though it may not be covered by insurance.
Health officials continue to emphasize that early detection dramatically improves treatment outcomes, making awareness of symptoms and appropriate screening crucial tools in fighting this increasingly common cancer.
Contact Myles Harris at mharris5@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
