Anna Canale, a 44-year-old native of Plainview, Long Island, was shocked to find that she had stage 4 colorectal cancer.
According to a new report from the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is becoming increasingly prevalent in younger adults, and instances are being diagnosed at later stages. Sixty percent of new cases represent an advanced disease state.
Colon Cancer Among Young American Adults
Dr. Karen Knudsen, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society, notes that one in five patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer is under the age of 55, which is relatively young for this disease.
Colorectal cancer remains the third most lethal in the United States. The American Cancer Society expects 153,020 new cases and 52,550 deaths this year.
Knudsen explains that this movement toward a more aggressive disease is preventing us from saving more lives from colorectal cancer. Hence, ensuring that a person does not ignore symptoms, takes every feasible step to improve their own health, and is screened according to criteria that are appropriate for them is the finest treatment we have for detecting and eliminating colorectal cancer early.
For years, medical researchers have monitored the rise of colorectal cancer among younger adults, despite the drop in rates among older adults.
Due to the efficiency of colonoscopies, which discover polyps that can be removed before they grow into cancer, the number of people over the age of 50 has decreased.
In 2018, the recommended age for a first colonoscopy screening for persons at average risk was dropped to 45.
More than half of colorectal cancers are attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors, such as diet, exercise, and smoking, according to doctors, who are unsure of the cause of the increase in instances among younger individuals.
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Microbiome As Another Probable Component
There are between one and two thousand species, and it turns out that certain of these species are associated with an increased risk of colon cancer.
And when you consider that we have been manipulating our microbiome through the use of antibiotics and dietary changes, one of the possibilities is that we are destroying our microbiome and so increasing the risk. This is merely a theory.
Know your risks, especially your family history, get screened, and advise doctors. The initial colon mass was roughly the size of a huge orange, and metastatic liver tumors were already present.
According to Canale, routine treatment has decreased her tumors. And despite the rigors of her therapy, Canale reports that she is living a full life with her family and being optimistic.
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