The under-50s bowel cancer epidemic: Young sufferers reveal the symptoms their DOCTORS missed - while a new bombshell study reveals the common food that may be causing the crisis By JULIE COOK Published: 01:39 GMT, 31 December 2024 | Updated: 01:39 GMT, 31 December 2024 e-mail View comments The question is one that's puzzling many of the world's leading medical experts: just why are so many young people falling victim to bowel cancer ? Long considered primarily a disease of older age, bowel cancer is now being diagnosed in a growing number of adults under 50. Earlier this month, a study by researchers at the University of California San Francisco revealed the condition is on the rise globally in the 25 to 49 age group. And the growth rate in England is among the fastest in the world, at an average of 3.
6 per cent a year in the under-50s, behind only Chile, New Zealand and Puerto Rico, reported Lancet Oncology. The worry now is that many people may not connect their symptoms – including blood in their poo, weight loss and constant fatigue – with bowel cancer, as surveys show that around half of those aged under 50 have no idea that the disease could affect them. Even if they are aware, research by Bowel Cancer UK shows 40 per cent of young cancer sufferers have to visit the GP three times or more before they get referred for tests – again, because the disease is rarely high on the list of suspects for doctors to consider.
So what could be causing this alarming increase? One theory is that it's due to chronic inflammation as a result of poor diet, ultra-processed foods and a lack of exercise. Other studies suggest the increase is fuelled by microscopic pieces of plastic. While the search for an answer goes on, here, ten younger victims speak about how bowel cancer struck out of the blue.
1. My lifestyle was so Healthy Rebecca Liddle, 47, an insurance broker, lives in London with her husband Bill, 52, a gas engineer, and their children, aged ten and 12. I have blood tests every five months as I have haemochromatosis – too much iron in my blood.
Often I need to have my blood 'let' to reduce it. But in November 2023, after the test, my doctor said I was severely anaemic. I had a FIT (a faecal immunochemical test, which checks for blood in your stool) and a colonoscopy.
Literally, during the procedure, I could see a dark mass. Rebecca Liddle, 47, has blood tests every five months as she has haemochromatosis - too much iron in her blood I was totally floored by the diagnosis. I work out and even ran the London Marathon.
I never eat processed foods or takeaways. Plus, I had had no symptoms. Two weeks later they removed the tumour and the right part of my bowel.
The cancer had spread to some lymph nodes, so I then had six months of chemotherapy. I joined an online group and found many other fit, young people who'd also been diagnosed. In September I was declared cancer free, but a week ago a scan showed something there again, so I'm having another scan in March.
I'm nervous but I'm under a wonderful professor and surgeon who are monitoring me so well. Even they are puzzled about the rise of cases in younger people. 2.
Without chemo, I had five months left Roxy Hitchcox, 42, is a senior science technician at a school in Warwickshire. I was in the work car park when the doctor rang to say there was a large amount of blood in my stool, and that it was likely to be cancer. I broke down in tears.
In January, I'd suddenly got bad stomach pains, diarrhoea and vomiting. My GP thought it was food poisoning but blood tests were clear, apart from my liver markers. I was told it was just one of those things.
Roxy Hitchcox, 42, was told she had a large amount of blood in her stool and that it was likely to be cancer A few days later, the lymph nodes in my neck and body suddenly became swollen. A week later, still vomiting, I went to A&E, where they gave me anti-sickness pills. To be safe, they also did tests on my poo.
Next day the doctor called and said I needed a CT scan and a colonoscopy. I was then diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer, which had spread to my liver and lymph nodes. I was utterly shocked.
I have always been healthy. I asked how long I had and the doctor said: 'Without chemo, five months.' Because the tumour was blocking my intestines, I was put on a liquid diet and lost three stone.
Luckily, I was a bit overweight to start with. I started chemotherapy and had a stoma bag fitted. I've just seen the Christmas I never thought I'd see.
My doctor's prognosis has changed to two to five years and I am back at work in the job I love. 3. At A&E they said it was food poisoning Steve Torley, 49, is a police officer in Northamptonshire.
He is divorced and has three children aged 21, 18 and 15. I was ski-ing last December when I started feeling drained and my friends said I was less sociable than usual. Then, at New Year, I had indigestion so bad that it kept me awake.
My GP prescribed reflux medication, but a few weeks later I still didn't feel quite right. A blood test was clear but after more tests the doctor rang me at 7pm to say my white blood cell count was very high. The next morning I had diarrhoea and vomiting and went to A&E.
This time, I was told it was food poisoning. After a colonoscopy, Steve Torley, 49, found out he had a tumour in his bowel Then, a week later, I haemorrhaged blood in the loo – and a colonoscopy showed I had a tumour in my bowel. I was in total shock.
I always thought bowel cancer was an older person's disease and I was reasonably fit and ate well. When I told my mum she broke down, saying her sister had had bowel cancer. I'm now waiting the results of genetic testing.
I'm half way through chemotherapy but my prognosis is good. Thankfully my cancer was spotted in time. 4.
I was 'too young' to have a test Fran Kirkbright, 35, an office manager, lives in Horley, Surrey, with her fiancé Dean, 44, a security guard, and her 13-year-old son. If I'd been listened to sooner, I might have more time left with my family. When I first went to my GP about feeling tired, he said I was run down or 'hormonal'.
But I'd get back from work and have to go straight to bed. I also went from one bowel movement a week to five a day and had a bloated feeling in my lower abdomen. Tests ruled out a urinary tract infection.
Within a few months I was unable to pass urine, and after three telephone GP consults, I went to A&E, where an ultrasound of my bladder seemed fine. But days later I noticed blood in my stool. My doctor said I was too young for a bowel cancer test.
Fran Kirkbright, 35, had a colonoscopy which found a 7-8cm tumour had been pressing on her bladder But in April 2023, I had a colonoscopy, where even I could see the mass on screen. The tumour was 7-8 cm and had been pressing on my bladder, hence the symptoms. I had to have an ovary and my whole bowel removed and was fitted with a stoma.
In the summer of this year, I was given the all-clear. I held a huge party to celebrate. But in September I had that same unwell feeling.
The cancer was back and it's terminal. I have been given two years with aggressive chemo. I paint on a happy face for my family and my friends.
Cancer is taking so much from them that I will not let them see it take my sense of humour, too. I am marrying Dean in January and cannot wait to be his wife. 5.
I put my weight loss down to exercising Helen Glass, 48, who has two children in their 20s, is a diabetic eye-screener and lives with her husband in Somerset. The first sign I had was feeling very tired, and I couldn't do the exercises I usually did. I had blood tests and my GP diagnosed anaemia – but also ordered a FIT, which checks for blood in your stool.
The test came back high, so I was referred for a colonoscopy four weeks later at the end of November last year. During the procedure, the doctor told me he could see a 'mass'. I felt absolutely shocked.
A few days later I had surgery: the 6cm mass was cancer. Helen Glass, 48, says the first signs of a problem was when she noticed she was always tired I assumed bowel cancer would have obvious symptoms. All I'd felt was tired.
My lifestyle was healthy: I work out four times a week and have a good diet, always cooking from scratch. The surgeon said that he thought my cancer was genetic. Tests showed I have Lynch Syndrome, a genetic condition which puts you at a greater risk of bowel and other cancers at an early age.
My children will decide if they want to be tested in due course. Looking back, in the months before my diagnosis I had lost a stone – but I'd been exercising a lot and eating healthily. I'm soon to have a hysterectomy as Lynch Syndrome puts you at greater risk of female cancers, too.
6. I kept thinking..
. I'm only 25 years old Matthew Jackson, 27, is campaigns manager for a children's charity and a district councillor. He is engaged to Charley, 28, an educational psychologist, and lives in Cannock, Staffs.
I was running for council elections and busy with work when I got on the scales for the first time in three months and realised that I'd gone from 96kg to just 68kg. I thought I was just over-working. Then, in May, I was driving Charley and her grandfather when I suddenly felt woozy.
They told me I'd turned yellow. Reluctantly, I went to my GP and blood tests showed I was severely anaemic, and a further test found blood in my stool. Matthew Jackson, 27, was refused a referral for a colonoscopy because of his age but his doctor persevered and got him an appointment Due to my age, the hospital would not accept a referral for a coloscopy.
But my doctor persevered and six weeks later I saw a gastroenterologist. During the procedure, at first the doctors were saying I was too young for bowel cancer but then I saw a mass on the screen. Two weeks later I had surgery.
I kept thinking ...
but I'm only 25. I was never a big junk food eater and now I'm really careful about my diet. I consider my recovery a blessing.
It's made me appreciate my life so much more. 7. I'd suffer cramps after eating Jamie Atkins, 45, a manager in an engineering firm, lives in Herefordshire with his wife Nicola, 41, and their children aged 12, 16 and 17.
In the summer of 2023, I started getting cramps after eating. I assumed this was indigestion, but a few weeks later the cramps were so bad I called 111 and they told me to drive to hospital. The doctors thought it might be Crohn's disease [a type of inflammatory bowel disorder].
In the meantime they did an X-ray, a CT scan and a colonoscopy. Jamie Atkins, 45, says he had never had any issues with his bowel before he started suffering cramps A few weeks later, I was called back and the diagnosis changed. It was bowel cancer.
I was shocked. I'd never had any issues with my bowel and the cramps had only been happening for a few weeks. I had the 7cm tumour and 20 lymph nodes removed.
A couple of weeks later I was diagnosed with Lynch Syndrome. You're meant to be tested for this if you get bowel cancer. I've since found out my brother has Lynch, as does an aunt who lost a daughter to bowel cancer.
I feel very lucky my cancer was caught. 8. For weeks I had ignored the symptoms Jay Neofitos, 43, a social media marketing executive, lives in Angus with partner Jody, 40, a designer, and their sons aged 13, ten and three.
In autumn last year, I was constantly constipated – and when I wasn't I had diarrhoea. I ignored it for weeks. Then one day I saw blood in my stool, and a few weeks later I passed a huge clot.
Finally, I decided to see my GP and in April this year I was given a test for blood in my stools, immediately followed by a colonoscopy. During this, I could see a large mass on the screen. The tumour was so large that they had to shrink it with chemotherapy before operating.
Then I had radiotherapy, which was horrendous. It inflamed my whole lower region and was incredibly painful. This lasted for two-and-a-half months.
I went from 80kg to 63kg (I'm 5ft 7in). Jay Neofitos, 43, saw blood in his stool one day and then passed a huge clot a few weeks later Now I am awaiting surgery in January to take the remainder of the tumour. The hardest part is I ate healthily – I loved chicken, vegetables and quality produce.
But these days, because I cannot pass hard stools, I am very limited as to what I can eat. My brother recently found blood in his stool, so it may be there's a genetic reason. I try to have a positive attitude to my cancer and am a fighter.
I am determined to beat this for my children. 9. Saved by poster on loo door Lee Pile, 44, a lift engineer from Teignmouth, Devon, lives with his partner, Natalie, 43, a volunteer with drug and alcohol services.
I only decided to get checked because I saw a poster in a loo. My symptoms had started six months before. I was suddenly constipated and very bloated after eating.
I wondered if it was due to introducing more vegetables. I tried removing gassy veg, like onions, but nothing changed. Lee Pile, 44, had three months of chemo and is now in the middle of radiotherapy to shrink the tumour before surgery in February Then, in June, I was working on a lift at Exeter City football club when I nipped to the loo and saw a Bowel Cancer UK advert on door, listing the symptoms.
It dawned on me that I had some of them, so I went to see my GP. I had a FIT and then a colonoscopy. I could see a mass and the doctor said he was 99 per cent sure it was cancer.
After it was confirmed, I had three months of chemo and am now in the middle of radiotherapy to shrink the tumour before surgery in February. I also have a stoma, as I can't use the last third of my bowel where the tumour is, but I've adjusted well. I've been abroad and have attended events.
I've been told often people of my age aren't referred for a colonoscopy and it was lucky I was. I'm also lucky I saw that poster. 10.
I had to insist on having a CT scan Zoe Gardner Lawson, 36, works in HR and lives with her husband Sam, 45, who is self employed, and their five-year-old and twins, aged one, in Bracknell, Berks. After weeks of lower back pain, I went to my GP who thought I had a bladder infection. But the pain got worse and I went to A&E, where they said it might be kidney stones.
But a scan found nothing so I was sent home. I was back within 24 hours, and started on daily intravenous antibiotics as an outpatient. But while the registrar was fighting to get me booked in for a full body CT scan, no one appeared to want to take responsibility for me.
Zoe Gardner Lawson, 36, had a CT scan which showed she had a tumour in her bowel as well as lesions on her liver and lymph nodes After four days as an outpatient, a general surgeon told me a CT scan would be booked for two weeks' time. I 'kicked off', relaying my poor experience and demanding an immediate CT scan, or I would not leave hospital. It worked.
From then on everything moved quickly, at least to begin with. I had a CT scan, which showed a tumour in my bowel, as well as lesions on my liver and lymph nodes. I was given a stage four diagnosis.
Despite this devastating finding, I was not seen by anyone else at the hospital for over 24 hours. Fortunately, I have private health insurance so I went to the Cleveland Clinic in London, and had emergency surgery to remove the tumour. I'm now two months into chemotherapy.
I felt the NHS failed me. bowelcanceruk.org.
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The under-50s bowel cancer epidemic: Young sufferers reveal the symptoms their DOCTORS missed - while a new bombshell study reveals the common food that may be causing the crisis
The question is one that's puzzling many of the world's leading medical experts: just why are so many young people falling victim to bowel cancer?