You should get a colonoscopy if you have two common symptoms, even if you're ... trends now
Doctors are warning people under 50 to be on the lookout for two symptoms — amid an unprecedented rise in colon cancers in young patients.
Dr James Cleary, a gastroenterogist and oncologist, said fatigue and unintended weight loss could be signs of the disease which is often called a 'silent killer'.
He advised that people get a colonoscopy if they suffer the symptoms - and not to be put off by age.
Colon cancer can grow and spread for years without being detected because the symptoms are dismissed as other things.
But cases are expected to double in people under 50 by the end of the decade - and by that point, it will be the leading cause of cancer deaths in the US.
Doctors have warned that if you have anemia and unintended weight loss, you should get a colonoscopy to check for colorectal cancer
Data from JAMA Surgery showed that colon cancer is expected to rise by 90 percent in people ages 20 to 34 by the year 2030. Doctors are not sure what is driving the mystery rise
Doctors are still working to unravel the cause of this mystery epidemic, though unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle, and alcohol consumption have often been blamed.
Gastroenterogists have now said that despite colon cancer screening not being recommended until age 45, young people with symptoms like anemia and unintended weight loss should get a colonoscopy anyway.
Dr Cleary, from Dana-Farber Cancer Insitute in Boston, told Business Insider: 'If you're having one symptom, you should think about getting a colonoscopy, but if you're having two of these, statistically speaking, your chances are higher, and you really should go get a colonoscopy.'
A colonoscopy is a test where a doctor inserts a flexible tube with a camera on the end into the rectum.
The exam is meant to look for colon changes like inflammation and growths called polyps, which are clumps of cells forming along the colon lining. These are usually harmless, though some can slowly develop into cancer.
Amid concerns over the rising rate among younger adults, in 2021, the US Preventive Services Taskforce lowered the screening age from 50 to 45 years old.
One of the most startling symptoms is blood in your stool or when you wipe. Bright red blood is 'newer' and comes from the end of the colon, near the rectum. This can often be
