Prof. Dr. Cem Terzi said, “Unfortunately, alarm bells are ringing for young adults. According to a study published in 2023, while one in 10 patients with colorectal cancer was under the age of 55 in 1995, today one in every 5 patients diagnosed is under this age. “Colonoscopy is a great tool for colorectal cancer prevention and early detection, but we don’t utilize it enough.” he said.
SHE LOST HER MOTHER AND BROTHER
Onur Cevheroğlu (26), who lives in Mardin, said that he was diagnosed with colon cancer, which took his mother and brother away from life, in December 2023. Onur Cevheroğlu stated that colon cancer was first seen in his family in his mother Sadiye, and then his older brother Ferhat received the same diagnosis, and said: “I lost my mother to this disease when I was 42 and my brother when I was 24. I was 2 when I lost my mother and 18 when I lost my brother. After my brother was diagnosed, I had a colonoscopy and it came out clean. I did not have any other tests afterwards. I had appendicitis surgery in December 2023, and due to the difficulties I experienced during this process, a colonoscopy was performed and I was diagnosed with colon cancer. It came about by chance. It was Phase 3.
I came to the hospital in Izmir in January 2024. Prof. Dr. Cem Terzi performed my surgery, and then I returned to my hometown. After the surgery, I received chemotherapy in Diyarbakır. After 12 cycles, I was called for a check-up every 3 months. A PET CT scan taken for control revealed a recurrence in the lymph nodes, and I was on the operating table once again at the end of last December. I’m fine now. I have three siblings, one of whom is a sister. All of them underwent colonoscopy and it was normal. However, this time we will not give up our precautions and will have the necessary checks done on time. After what happened to me, I realized once again how important controls are. We don’t value ourselves as much as we do our cars, we ignore ourselves by having our cars inspected. However, with a check-up once a year, we will not lose anything, but we will gain our health and our lives.”
LARGE INTESTINE CANCER IS NO LONGER JUST AN AGING DISEASE
On the other hand, Acıbadem City Hospital General Surgery Specialist and Colorectal Surgeon Prof. Dr. Cem Terzi said that his patient Onur Cevheroğlu’s colon cancer was an exemplary case as a young adult. Prof. stated that Cevheroğlu’s only complaint was abdominal pain, and when it did not go away after appendicitis surgery, he was diagnosed with colonoscopy by chance. Dr. Tailor continued as follows:
“Our patient’s condition is good now. Everything was normal in the examination performed for the first time at the age of 18-19, but it did not come back again. However, if there is a genetic risk, colonoscopy, which is performed every 5 years in healthy people, should be performed every 2 years in these people. In this patient, it should be performed every two years.” This case is enough to show us the importance of colonoscopy for early diagnosis. We are now at a point where we should not see colorectal cancer only as a disease of old people; alarm bells are ringing for young adults! In order to cope with the increase in the number of cases, it is necessary to understand the causes of colon cancer occurring at an early age.
Early-onset colorectal cancer, also called young-onset colorectal cancer, is defined as colon cancer diagnosed in individuals under the age of 50. Early-onset colorectal cancers are increasing globally. In the United States (USA), it is estimated that the most important cause of cancer-related deaths in individuals aged 20-49 will be colorectal cancer by 2030. This is a very new and frightening development. Cancer statistics in our country are not at the desired level. That’s why we often use Western sources.
According to a study published by the American Cancer Society in 2023, one in 10 patients with colorectal cancer was under the age of 55 in 1995, while today one-fifth of the patients diagnosed are under this age. Another worrying situation is the increase in advanced cancer cases. Although colonoscopy is a screening method that can detect and eliminate precancerous lesions, the rate of advanced cases rather than early stage diagnosis is increasing. However, colonoscopy is a great tool for colorectal cancer prevention and early detection. We can’t get enough of this. The rate of complete recovery from this disease in patients diagnosed early with colon cancer is 90 percent in developed countries. Unfortunately, we cannot offer this opportunity to patients sufficiently. “
COMPLAINTS SEEN IN YOUNG PATIENTS
Prof. Dr. said that if a patient has symptoms such as rectal bleeding and unexplained iron deficiency, it should be seriously investigated whether he has cancer, regardless of his age. Dr. Cem Terzi continued: “In 30 percent of patients, genetic damage in DNA is passed from generation to generation and these are hereditary colorectal cancers. In the remaining 70 percent of patients, genetic damage to DNA occurs due to environmental factors such as air pollution. The most common symptoms of colorectal cancer in young patients are abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, change in defecation frequency, size or appearance of stool, and rectal bleeding.
Anal bleeding occurs in 26 percent of cases in adults over the age of 50 and in 46 percent of younger cases. Young people tend to assume that they are healthy because of their youth. That’s why even though there are some symptoms, they don’t take them seriously. Another problem is that individuals are embarrassed to express symptoms related to the anus or defecation. Physicians need to take symptoms in young adults seriously. It is highly undesirable to treat a young patient only for hemorrhoids, but then develop metastatic colon cancer a few months later. For this reason, in a patient with complaints, not only a fecal occult blood test but also a colonoscopy should be performed.”
(UAV)