Young women with symptoms dismissed as allergies and anxiety were diagnosed with terminal colon cancer after pleading with doctors for months
Raquel Aguilar, 33, suffered from severe diarrhea and blood in her stool, but was referred to a psychologist instead of receiving additional tests
Amy Lentz noticed slight changes in her bowel movements, but her concerns were dismissed as a food allergy, leading to a delayed diagnosis of stage four colon cancer
Oncologists believe vague symptoms and lack of screening for young patients are reasons why more young people, especially women, are being dismissed and left with advanced cancer
Figures show that young patients are 60 percent more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage colorectal cancer, and the likelihood of survival is low once the cancer has spread to vital organs.
In recent years, there has been a troubling increase in cases of young women being diagnosed with terminal colon cancer after having their symptoms dismissed as allergies or anxiety by doctors. Raquel Aguilar, 33, from California, suffered from severe diarrhea and blood in her stool for three years before being diagnosed with inoperable stage four colon cancer. Similarly, Amy Lentz of Washington noted slight changes in her bowel movements but had to wait a year and a half for a colonoscopy, which confirmed her terminal colon cancer.
Unfortunately, many young patients, especially women, are being overlooked and left with advanced and aggressive colon cancer that is difficult to treat. Doctors often attribute vague symptoms to common issues like irritable bowel syndrome, leading to delayed diagnoses. As a result, young adults are 60 percent more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage colorectal cancer compared to older patients. While newer screening methods such as at-home stool tests and blood tests show promise in detecting these cancers earlier, more research is still needed to improve early detection and treatment outcomes for young patients.
