Home Health Fit men diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at age 30 warn others not to dismiss subtle symptoms like they did

Fit men diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at age 30 warn others not to dismiss subtle symptoms like they did

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Chris López, who was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at age 30

Two healthy, fit young men who were diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer in their 30s have revealed the symptoms that should not be overlooked.

Chris Lopez, from Texas, was slim, worked out regularly at the gym and ate a balanced, protein-rich diet, still meticulously preparing his meals.

But the 30-year-old began suffering intense ‘stabbing’ pain in his stomach that wouldn’t go away. He also lost weight despite eating the same thing, dropping from 175 to 145 pounds on his six-foot frame.

Initially, Lopez attributed it to food poisoning, since he had just been on vacation, assuming he had just eaten “sushi, some fish, or something undercooked.” He was put on antibiotics and then an anti-parasitic medication when that didn’t work.

But after he became “like a skeleton” and noticed blood in his stool, he went to doctors, who found a tumor the size of a grapefruit in his colon.

Meanwhile, CrossFit enthusiast Chris Rodriguez revealed how he was diagnosed with cancer at age 35, despite also eating clean foods rich in protein and fiber.

He began to suffer from belly pain and constipation in 2023, which did not go away. This led the Minnesota native to schedule an appointment with his doctor, and scans eventually revealed a four-inch tumor in his rectum.

The conventional explanation for the rise in colon cancers among young people is poor diet, sedentary lifestyles and obesity, but doctors say they are increasingly seeing patients like López and Rodríguez, who are young, in fit and healthy.

And Chris Rodríguez, who was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 35.

Pictured above are Chris Lopez, who was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at age 30, and Chris Rodriguez, who was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer at age 35.

The graph above shows the increase in colorectal cancers in men and women in the US from 2000 to 2021.

The graph above shows the increase in colorectal cancers in men and women in the US from 2000 to 2021.

Both men are now in remission, but have come forward to warn others about early warning signs to get checked.

They also emphasized that it was particularly important for young patients to be aware of the symptoms and seek medical attention as soon as possible, because getting a diagnosis can take months, increasing the risk of the cancer spreading.

Revealing how he was diagnosed, Mr Lopez, who is a chef, said: “I told my doctor that my stomach feels worse than before and I told him that I noticed blood in my stool.

‘I was scared because it’s the first time I’ve seen that… when I went to the bathroom, I only saw blood.

“He thought maybe it was a parasite, so he prescribed anti-parasitic medication.”

Eight months after his symptoms began, a gastroenterologist finally ordered a colonoscopy to be sure.

When the cancer was detected, it was stage three B, meaning it had spread to nearby lymph nodes but had not yet spread throughout the body.

Lopez was diagnosed in December 2019 and underwent chemotherapy and radiation therapy to shrink the tumor, then underwent surgery to remove it in 2021.

He is now in remission, but undergoes scans once a year to make sure the cancer has not returned. He is now also married and has a three-year-old daughter.

Mr Rodriguez, who is an improvisational actor, said: “I wasn’t feeling very well, I just felt a little bad, so I decided to go to the doctor.”

“The next thing I knew I was in surgery, and the next thing I knew I was in chemotherapy.”

Describing the moment he was diagnosed, he said: “When I had this test and was diagnosed at an age you don’t expect, I felt incredibly out of place.

“In my opinion, I wasn’t supposed to be paying attention to this.”

Rodriguez was diagnosed in 2023 and received chemotherapy every two weeks for 16 weeks to treat his four-inch tumor.

He then underwent radiation and surgery to remove the tumor, before being declared cancer-free.

“It is necessary to educate yourself about this cancer that progresses slowly at younger ages,” said Mr. Rodríguez.

‘I’ll talk about it with anyone, any day. “I’m being open so other people have it on their radar.”

Colon cancer, once seen as a disease of the elderly, is increasing among those under 50 who are generally not at risk; cases have increased by 50 percent in the last three decades.

Some doctors say blaming the change on unhealthy diets and obesity alone is too simplistic.

All sorts of factors are now being looked at, including pollution, microplastics and artificial additives used in food.

Some have even blamed exposure to artificial light, saying it can disrupt the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, altering the gut microbiota and making someone more prone to harmful mutations in gut cells.

And restrictive alternative diets, such as vegan and vegetarian options, have also come under scrutiny, with experts warning that meat alternative foods could increase the risk of contracting the disease.

Studies also suggest that eating a lot of red and processed meat could increase your risk.

Early warning signs of colon cancer in young people include a change in toileting habits, blood in the stool, rectal bleeding with bright red blood, diarrhea or constipation, unexpected weight loss, and cramps or pain in the abdomen. stomach.

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