Why under 35’s need to be aware of colorectal cancer
Colon and rectal cancers are on the rise in the under 35 age group - this is what you need to know.
Cancer – the ultimate dread disease that we usually don’t even want to think about, especially if you are in your 20s or 30s, because you’re only really at risk when you are older, right? Wrong! Millennials and Gen Z are twice as likely to have colon cancer and four times are likely to have rectal cancer, compared to their parents’ generation. Turnberry Management Risk Solutions break down everything you need to know about the possible causes, symptoms and what to do should you get colorectal cancer:
What the stats say: Colorectal cancer is on a sharp increase in adults under 35. What was the tenth most common cancer in the 1990s, is now the second most common cancer in men and the third most common in women. This is particularly concerning, as screening for this type of cancer is recommended after 35 and therefore often leads to late diagnosis of this disease, making it much harder to treat with a lower treatment success rate.
Is it our lifestyle? Sitting in front of a computer all day, followed by dinner at the TV and weekends playing video games or binging series is not leaving much room for exercise and movement. This sedentary lifestyle coupled with being overweight or obese, smoking, drinking a lot of alcohol and eating low-fibre, high-fat diets, or diets high in processed meats, can increase your risk of colorectal cancer, as well as other types of cancer and chronic diseases. Add stress to the mix, along with a family history of type 2 diabetes, colon or rectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease and your risk increases even more.
Symptoms to be aware of: Colorectal cancers have vague symptoms which often means it’s overlooked or mistaken for something else. Look out for symptoms such as blood in the stool, cramping, abdominal pain, diarrhoea or constipation, decreased appetite, fatigue, and weight loss. These symptoms are often associated with haemorrhoids, stress, anxiety, poor diet or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). This means that cancer is frequently overlooked, especially in younger people. If you have a family history of bowel disease, opt for genetic testing and a colonoscopy, just to be safe. Prevention is always better than cure, because the treatment for colorectal cancers is grueling and often involves surgery as well as chemotherapy and radiation.
I’ve been diagnosed, now what? Check in with your medical aid and know that colorectal cancer is a Prescribed Minimum Benefit (PMB) condition, which means treatment will be covered in full by medical aids, if :
- it meets the required conditions,
- you make use of a Designated Service Provider (DSP).
However, if these conditions are not met, you will probably have to pay up, especially for surgeries, new-generation biological cancer drugs and colonoscopies, which always attract some form of co-payment. This is where Gap cover comes in. Check what the T&Cs say. Look out for additional benefits, such as a lump sum pay-out on first diagnosis of cancer, which can be used to cover day-to-day expenses while you are receiving treatment, as well as trauma counseling to help deal with the mental element of receiving a dread disease diagnosis.
