Young Australians face rising bowel cancer rates
https://7news.com.au/video/news/young-australians-face-rising-bowel-cancer-rates-bc-6391056974112
Young Australians face rising bowel cancer rates
https://7news.com.au/video/news/young-australians-face-rising-bowel-cancer-rates-bc-6391056974112
29 Comments
The HSPs are catching up on us
So many of my peers eat like utter shit, I’m sure there are more environmental factors than just diet, but my own anecdotal experience is I feel like a hippie with the amount of cooking from scratch I do.
Keep your fiber up and don’t be afraid to go to the doctor if you notice anything unusual in your stool. As someone who has already had several colonoscopies, it’s not something you should be embarrassed about either.
Don’t be someone that could’ve done something and left it too late, you’ll regret it for the rest of your short and painful life at that point.
I thought a lot of the issue was genetic. I had to fight my GP and the RMH to get an earlier screening than usual – they kept saying I was too young when I was in my 40s! – but if your family has a history of polyps found during coloniscopies GET ONE DONE.
Overnight oats with protein powder. You’ll have the good poops.
Our parents and grandparents ate a fraction of the pre-prepared and fast food we eat today. Our grandparents also ate a ton of fermented and pickled foods, which is good for your gut bacteria.
My wife and I try to make a point to follow the outside aisles rule, and prepare our meals from scratch using whole foods, but we do get lazy sometimes.
I started consuming psyllium husk regularly 2 years ago as I was not getting enough fibre. it has been a life changer for me, not only in terms of my bowel feeling better, I have lost 20 kilos in 2 years doing this as it helps you stay full. It also helps me sleep better. Start having more fibre as it helps you clear out your gut on a regular basis.
Not just young Australians. Seems to be a global thing too.
Americans, Brits, Kiwis even Japan, China too.
Now either all our diets have suddenly changed across many countries or there’s something now globally in our food supply.
Surely microplastics needs to be looked at more now.
Took me multiple attempts and then agreeing to pay out of pocket to have a colonoscopy. Ridiculous system.
Was told “you’re too young to need it”
Well they found a polyp and removed it. So I guess…. Now I can get them whenever?
Funny how we can limit online activity but allow kids to go to IGA before school, grab a six pack of redbull and down it before school.
As someone with crohn’s and tonnes of dietary restrictions, these articles always give me terrible anxiety. Like there’s only so much I can do. I mean, my upcoming colonoscopy is going to cost $1,100 through the public system.
I don’t feel like there’s enough action being taken from the government on this issue
I eat healthy, have heaps of fibre and supplements etc and was diagnosed with stage 1 last year- had a heap of my lower bowel removed along with 17 lymph nodes. Four months with an ileostomy and had my reversal in Jan. Even for early stage the treatment was pretty brutal. I have a lot of issues now but at least I’m not dead.
Def get a referral for a scope if you notice anything unusual. Even my doc wasn’t too worried initially and the biopsy came back as cancer. Hell of a ride the last six months.
Pain in the ass realy
Partner went to a doctor and was told at early 40’s that colonoscopy is too risky, and splenic tear during the procedure happens in 1000 cases each year with 10% mortality rate and colostomy bag risk. Was told to take the bowel test and if nothing is noted, nothing needs to be done.
This is really surprising to me as I’ve never heard about it and assumed that everyone in their 40’s and above will need to do a routine colonoscopy. So maybe one of the reasons as well is young people are actively discouraged from even getting referral for procedures because of risk aversion.
I just got diagnosed stage 3 a month ago and start chemo soon.
I’m 35, high fibre diet (lots of home cooking, poop frequently), not much red meat, don’t drink or smoke, no family history, regular high intensity exercise (not a runner, but apparently ultramarathon runners are high risk for this specifically). It’s either shitty luck, or environmental factors like the e.coli toxin thats relatively newly researched, or my weekly rasher of bacon that’s to blame…
Go get a scope if you’re suss!
Some interesting info
https://youtu.be/TlgTYZYu_S8?si=wZuVFrby8HGp9Z6Q
https://www.hankgreen.com/crc
My wife has just been given a terminal diagnosis due to bowel cancer at 32 years old. Devastating with a 2yo daughter and came out of nowhere.
32, eat pretty good, drink a little too much. Had a bloody movement, probably haemorrhoids but going to let Dr Kim put a camera up me just in case.
Usually with these there are a lot of factors, fiber is a big one, barely anyone has enough. Microplastics for sure are contributing, interestingly one of the best ways to get rid of micro plastics in your intestines is fiber, I forget which is which but soluble/insoluble work together. The insoluble passes through the gut picking up the plastic before it’s absorbed and you shit it out, and the soluble creates a mucus membrane in your gut that the plastic gets stuck in and makes it harder to absorb.
The fact we can go to a gp and access surgeons for pennies compared to a lot of the world also influences these rates. A lot of people in under developed countries die of it without ever being diagnosed so they have lower rates statistically. We are incredibly lucky, especially since it’s got pretty good survival rates when caught early. It’s easy to get caught up in the negatives of Australia but we really are blessed in a lot of ways.
We can’t control everything, and there are definitely more risk factors that we aren’t aware of yet. But known risk factors that we can all try to minimise – alcohol consumption, ultra processed food consumption, high consumption of red meat and processed deli meats, low intake of fibre
minor symptoms they said was likely mild colitis turns out to be 3C cancer. My relatively young age (41 at the time) was part of that. Our system may not be perfect but it is very good when things are urgent. radiation, chemo, surgery, more chemo, more surgery, a year with a stomach pouch and blood clots. but im still here 10 years on
Too many times people are dismissed because they’re “young and fit”. It took my mate 10 months of fighting for his brain cancer diagnosis.
He knew something wasn’t right but he was constantly dismissed with doctors telling him its “anxiety”, “hypochondria” and “it’s all physiological”
If they did something sooner, you’d still be here mate. RIP Gordon ❤️
Whoever you are reading this – this is your reminder to eat fibre!!!!!
Just on this, in hope it might help someone.
Mid 20s guy here that is fit, exercises and has good diet.
Had bleeding for 5 plus years and I just always dismissed it as hemorrhoids.
Finally went to doctor last month when colour changed and clots appeared.
Young doctor took me very seriously and within 30 days I had a colonoscopy performed.
Luckily, it was all good, no cancer.
Turns out I have hereditary haemochromatosis and it’s causing some other rather big issues internally to organs which require treatment/management.
Anyway, please do not be scared or worried about a colonoscopy. I was so stubborn and resistant,
just assumed everything was fine.
The minor inconvenience pales in comparison to how much better I feel for having clarity. You can’t put a price on piece of mind or potentially catching something early and saving your life.
It was not a bad experience at all, barely remember any of it and everyone was so professional. Speak to your GP if you have symptoms and if they won’t take you seriously find one that will!!!
I’m 40. Had to lie and say my father got bowel cancer in his early 40s and died from it (he was 50 when he was diagnosed). To get them to screen me and flag as urgent.
Fast forward to my colonoscopy I had a 50mm polyp removed. The system is so overwhelmed with current bowel cancer patients, it is hard to get a colonoscopy unless you are the right age or cite family history.
I was diagnosed with stage 1 bowel cancer at 37, removed via right hemicolectomy. After the physical battle, I’ve also had to deal with the mental impact from it all. I’m on yearly surveillance for a few years.
No family history of cancer so I’m the first in the family. I have two young kids who will need their first colonoscopies when they reach 27.
I lost a beloved brother-in-law in 2023 to bowel cancer. He was a vegetarian, sporty, healthy, and the last person you would expect to get such a thing.
So yeah, people know. We’re losing folk left right and centre.
One of my oldest friends is 37, survived his first bout at 35 now it’s back and terminal. Has to be something environmental? This is fucked.
Everyone talking about fibre ignoring the fact that meat consumption is one of the biggest contributors.. that being said I find it hard to not eat meat. It’s so ingrained in us that meat is just part of a proper meal.
Great, as a hypercondriac with serve health anxiety I’m worried about bowel cancer again after forgetting about it for months 😭
Media: People younger are getting more cancer
Scientists: Early prevention is critical
Me: Hey doc I just turned 40, how about a prostate and colon check?
Doctor: Why? You’re too young to worry about that.