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Colon cancer in younger patients
Colon cancer is being diagnosed more frequently in younger patients.
HOUSTON - "Colorectal cancer is currently the number two cause of cancer death in the United States each year," said Dr. Ben Musher with the Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer at Baylor College of Medicine.
Every year 50 to 55,000 die from it.
Because of colon cancer screening, the disease is declining in older people.
"Because the purpose of screening is to cut out little polyps before they can turn into cancer," Musher said.
Musher is seeing an increase in people 20 to 39.
He says it's not due to family history obesity or lack of exercise.
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"One of the theories about young people getting it is that from a very early age there's something going on in their intestine predispose them for getting cancer at a young age," said Musher.
"I was diagnosed in 2012 over the course of that first year I had two surgeries chemotherapeutic radiation," said Allison Rosen. "My last surgery at M.D. Anderson was just two and a half years ago."
Rosen was just 32 when she was diagnosed with colon cancer.
She's been cancer-free for seven years and credits that to M.D Anderson hospital. "I know so many people under the age of 45 and definitely under the age of 50," she said.
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These are the symptoms of colon cancer:
- Rectal bleeding
- Abdominal pain
- Weight loss
- Changes in bowel habits