Is colon cancer really that common in the young?

[katniss]

Hi everyone,

I’ve had some strange lumpiness in my lower right abdomen. The doctor checked it out and wasn’t sure what it was but decided to take a wait and see approach. I have extreme health anxiety and I’m a bit OCD when it comes to these things. I was googling and it seems like colon cancer is on the rise in young adults? It’s still about 6 in a 100,000 chance in the early 30s but apparently that’s too high? To someone like me these articles about colon cancer rising in the young didn’t help and has sent me into a spiral of paranoia.

Also, before you respond, please think carefully with how you will word your thoughts. I am surprised that on a forum like this, where almost all of us suffer from some degree of health anxiety, there are rude remarks. Sometimes it is coming from a good place, but the way that it is worded really shames the person who is looking for reassurance or advice. Some of us are already working with therapists, reading self-help books and KNOW how debilitating and time consuming this disorder is. We have seeked out this forum for support from others who share this uncommon disorder. We don’t come on to be shamed, especially when we let such vulnerable thoughts out. Just my 2 cents :) I honestly LOVE this forum and absolutely adore the people here. I have received consolation when I have needed it and I have received some negative feedback too. I just don’t want the negatives to deter me from feeling ashamed of posting on here. Thank you :)

[Fishmanpa]

Katniss.... The entire 2nd part of your post is all the reassurance you need. To caution readers and those that respond to word their replies as to not you make you feel ashamed of your irrationality is all the reassurance you need :winks:

Positive thoughts

[Sarah8989]

Hi


I’m 30 almost 31 and bowel cancer is my number one concern right now. I’ve also fallen down the rabbit hole of ‘bowel cancer is so much more common in younger people now’. But when you actually look at the statistics it sounds worse than it actually is.


According to cancer research UK the incidents of bowel cancer have increased in 30-39 year olds by 7.6% every year between 2005 and 2014. Which seems like a lot but in reality all that means is that there have been an extra 267 over those 8 year than the previous 8 years. That an extra 8 cases a year in 30-39 year olds. Between 2015-2017 around 750 30-39 year olds were diagnosed with bowel cancer and there are over 8 and a half million people in the UK in that age bracket so your odds of actually having it are ridiculously low. Also the 5 year survival rate for this age group is 70%. Of course they will always be the unlucky ones who do have it and your anxiety will always convince you that you are one of those unlucky ones, mine sure as hell always does, that’s why it’s important to always get your symptoms checked out by a doctor who is the only one who can tell you for sure if your symptoms are worrying. And remember that google will always tell you what you want to hear. So if you google ‘bowel cancer at 30’ of course you’re going to get tons of results but it doesn’t mean that there are millions of 30 year olds walking around with bowel cancer.


I hope this helps.




I got all the information from https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/bowel-cancer/incidence#heading-One