Victims of colon cancer are younger than ever

Leticia Alvarenga shares her story about her diagnosis of colon cancer at the young age of 43.

Colon cancer used to be thought of as a disease that only affected older men, but after taking the lives of stars like Chadwick Boseman, Natalie Desselle-Reid, and the TikTok star behind the popular “Enkyboys” account Randy Gonzalez, colon cancer has shown that it can affect younger people too. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2019, 20% of new colon cancer cases diagnosed were patients under 55 years old. That’s double the rate in 1995.

Leticia Alvarenga shares her journey with Natasha S. Alford as she is a part of the growing number of younger people who are affected by this disease. She was only 43 years old when she was diagnosed. Today she is cancer-free, and she says she’s doing great now, but must get a CT scan every six months, and every three years she gets a colonoscopy. That doesn’t stop Alvarenga from living a normal life. She enjoys ziplining and is a frequent swimmer. Alvarenga is also a part of the “Colon Club,” which brings awareness to early-age onset colon cancer.

With victims of colon cancer being younger than ever, it is important to know the signs that we should be aware of. Symptoms include but are not limited to: changes in bowel habits, blood in your stool, rectal bleeding, and one that people are usually not aware of — bloating. Knowing the signs might just save your life.

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