Liquid biopsy in cancer: current status, challenges and future prospects
Bowel Cancer Symptoms That Are Hard To Spot But You Should Never Ignore
10:02, 24 Apr 2025Updated 10:02, 24 Apr 2025
In the UK, around 120 new cases of bowel cancer are diagnosed every day. In a year that comes to around 44,100 diagnoses. Within that, 2,600 new bowel cancer cases are in people aged 25 to 49, and there's been a 42 per cent rise in cases among 25 to 49-year-olds since the early 1990s too.
Work has been ongoing to examine why young people may develop bowel cancer, with experts believing that factors such as a lack of exercise, poor diet and obesity may play a role. Now, a new study has uncovered how exposure to a toxin produced by E. Coli could contribute to the rise in cases of colorectal cancer in under-50s around the world.
While E. Coli is important when it comes to maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, some strains can produce the bacterial toxin colibactin. The toxin is capable of altering DNA and these DNA changes are more common in younger adults who have been diagnosed with bowel cancer compared to those who are diagnosed later on in life.
READ MORE: Universal cancer blood test could diagnose years before symptoms in world firstExperts looked at 981 colorectal cancer genomes from patients with both early and late-onset disease in 11 different countries. They found colibactin can leave behind specific patterns of DNA mutations that are 3.3 times more common in early-onset bowel cancer cases than in those diagnosed over the age of 70.
"These mutation patterns are a kind of historical record in the genome, and they point to early-life exposure to colibactin as a driving force behind early-onset disease," explained Ludmil Alexandrov, a professor at UCSD.
With the rise of bowel cancer cases in people aged 25 to 49, it's crucial that everyone is aware of the signs and symptoms of the disease. Although some symptoms of bowel cancer can be caused by other conditions, it's important to get any changes checked, especially if you have experienced symptoms for three or more weeks.
Bowel cancer symptomsDr Donald Grant, a GP and senior clinical advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, said bowel cancer symptoms can sometimes be mistaken for other health conditions. Dr Grant warned: "With symptoms often overlapping with other health conditions, it can be difficult to spot the signs of bowel cancer."
The NHS states symptoms of bowel cancer may include:
In some cases, bowel cancer can cause anaemia. As a result, this may lead to additional symptoms such as tiredness, headaches and breathlessness. Having these symptoms can signal that you may have another health condition, though you should seek medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms that aren't 'normal' for you.
READ MORE: Apple TV+ drops to £2.99 per month if you beat this week's deadlineWhy Colorectal Cancer Cases May Be On The Rise Among Young People
Cancer is one of the epidemics of our time. At present, few people have never come into contact with someone who has suffered from it and suffered the devastating effects of this disease. Now, scientists have focused on a specific cancer. This is colorectal cancer in young people. The incidence of this disease in young adults has doubled in the last twenty years, according to the CNIO website.
A study reveals the possible causeThe study was conducted internationally and was a joint collaboration between the University of California, San Diego (which led the project), the Wellcome Sanger Institute in the United Kingdom and the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization. The study was published in the prestigious journal Nature
The authors of the study analysed 981 genomes of colorectal cancer patients from eleven countries. The results revealed that the culprit could be a toxin produced by some strains of Escherichia coli, colibactin, which settles in the colon and rectum and has the ability to alter the DNA of cells. The study showed that exposure to colibactin in early childhood leaves a very characteristic genetic signature.
Although colorectal cancer is a disease that is usually associated with older people, its incidence occurs earlier than expected. In fact, it has doubled in those under 50 in multiple regions of the world, according to CNIO. This study could point directly to the bacterial toxin colibactin in childhood with the early onset of this type of cancer.
This study, in addition to answering some questions, raises other issues that the authors cannot yet answer. For example, how infection by colibactin-producing bacteria occurs and how to prevent or combat it, but we are already one step closer to being able to stop this increase.
Symptoms of colorectal cancerLike other diseases, colorectal cancer can develop without symptoms. However, it can also be linked to some that could alert us that it is happening inside us
Some of the symptoms that may be experienced are related to changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation or the feeling that the bowel does not empty completely. Also, if you notice blood in the stool or a change in the shape of the stool, it could be a sign of concern and you should consult a specialist
As for the pain you might face with colorectal cancer, you might experience abdominal pain, cramping, a feeling of gas, heaviness or constant bloating. Drastic weight loss is another sign that something is wrong inside you
As for more general symptoms, tiredness, weakness, exhaustion or lack of energy could be caused by this disease. Anemia is also linked to this pathology. It is important to bear in mind that colorectal cancer may not have common symptoms between two patients, as it depends on the size of the cancer, the time of development and its location in the large intestine. Whatever symptom you suffer from, if you have any doubts you should consult a specialist. This is especially true if you have any of the risk factors such as family history, low fibre in the diet or an excess of fat in the diet.
I Got Stage 4 Colorectal Cancer At 34 — The Symptom I Dismissed As A Common Mom Issue
Irritable bowel syndrome affects up to 45 million Americans, so when Sarah Beran found herself frequently racing to the bathroom, she assumed she was just another case.
The otherwise healthy 34-year-old dealt with the issue for more than a year and a half before her life came to a screeching halt with a gut-wrenching diagnosis: stage 4 colorectal cancer.
With a husband, two young children and a thriving small business on the line, Beran knew there was only one option: fight. "I had to beat it," she told The Post. "There was no other choice."
A rising threatExcluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer ranks as the third-most-common cancer in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.
Once thought to primarily affect older adults, it's now surging among younger populations, with diagnoses in people under 50 expected to double by 2030.
Even more alarming, younger adults like Beran are often diagnosed at more advanced stages, when the disease is harder to treat and survival rates plummet. As a result, it's now the deadliest cancer for men under 50 and the second deadliest for women in the same age group.
Pushing for answers in a pandemicIn April 2020, Beran was a busy mom juggling the demands of a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old while working as a stylist.
"I had a super healthy, active lifestyle, but I've always had a bit of stress and anxiety," she said. While she often felt exhausted, she attributed it to the chaos of family life and the pressures of her career.
"They took my husband and I into a room and told me they had found over 100 polyps on my colon and a mass on my rectum."
Sarah BeranWhen blood started appearing sporadically in her stool, Beran shrugged it off, figuring it was nothing more than IBS or maybe hemorrhoids.
"I had two babies, so that's very common," she said. Beran also noticed her stool was thinner than usual, but without stomach cramps or other alarming symptoms, she didn't think much of it.
But when the blood persisted, Beran decided to visit her primary care doctor.
Beran is a mother of two from Southern California. Sara BeranThe doctor assured her it was likely nothing to worry about, but acknowledged that colon cancer was becoming more common in younger people. She referred Beran to a gastroenterologist, who suspected a parasite was behind her symptoms and sent her home with a stool test.
The test came back normal, and the specialist put her on probiotics. "She didn't seem very concerned at all," Beran said, still uncertain that anything was truly wrong.
However, as the bleeding grew worse, so did Beran's fears.
"I'm not a pushy person at all — usually whatever the doctor says is fine," she said. "But I got to the point where there was so much blood in my stool that I went back and basically forced them into giving me an appointment because it was COVID and they weren't taking many patients."
Beran's cancer journey began in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Sara BeranThis time, Beran showed her doctor a photo of the blood and was immediately referred for a colonoscopy. Even then, colon cancer was far from her mind.
"I was always one of those people that thought it would never happen to me or anyone in my family," she admitted.
But when she woke up from the test, her life changed forever.
"They took my husband and I into a room and told me they had found over 100 polyps on my colon and a mass on my rectum," she said.
At that moment, Beran said she was in shock.
"We drove home in silence, just thinking about what life was going to look like and how we were going to handle it with our kids and tell our families," she remembered. "But then you go into fight mode. You get this strength you didn't know you have."
Chemotherapy, surgery — and more cancerBeran endured six rounds of chemo before undergoing surgery to remove her colon. She also got an ileostomy, in which the end of the small intestine is brought through a small opening in the abdomen, allowing waste to exit the body and be collected in a bag.
"I realized that all that matters to me in life is my family. It taught me how to be more present."
Sarah BeranShe lived with the ileostomy bag for five months as she underwent another six rounds of chemo and countless bouts of radiation.
For some, including Beran, ileostomies are reversible. She had her reversal surgery in December 2020, but the joy of ditching the ileostomy bag was short-lived.
Doctors soon told her the cancer had spread to her lungs, and she had to have another surgery to remove it, plus more radiation.
Beran had multiple surgeries plus rounds of chemo and radiation to beat colon cancer. Finally cancer freeToday, Beran has been cancer-free for three years.
"After two years of being cancer-free, your chances of it coming back go from 90% to 10%, so when I hit the two-year mark, it was a big deal," she said.
Now she only has to get scans every six months, and she'll be down to once a year when she hits the five-year mark.
Beyond discovering her strength, Beran said the experience changed her outlook on life.
Beran said her cancer battle taught her what matters most in life: family. Sara Baren"I used to get so wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of the fashion industry and what's next," she said. "I realized that all that matters to me in life is my family. It taught me how to be more present. To just enjoy the simple things. The other stuff doesn't matter."
Beran also came to a crucial realization: She could no longer put herself on the back burner, as so many women do for their families.
"Taking care of myself helps me be a better mom and a better wife," she said. "I'm trying to make that more of a priority."
Determined to make a difference, Beran has also become an advocate in the fight against colon cancer.
Together with her friend Brooks Bell, who was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer at age 38, Beran co-founded the fashion brand Worldclass. The brand aims to shatter the stigma surrounding colon cancer and promote early screenings.
Beran and Brooks Bell founded Worldclass to raise awareness about colon cancer. WorldclassThe duo also donates proceeds to fund colonoscopies for those who can't afford them.
"The bottom line is colonoscopies prevent colon cancer," Bell told The Post, explaining how the procedure helps doctors spot and remove polyps — abnormal growths in the colon lining — before they become cancerous.
Beran stressed that the removal of these polyps isn't as painful as many people believe.
"You don't feel it," she said. "It's much better getting a colonoscopy and getting those removed than going through cancer treatments."
She encouraged patients to avoid rushing into the first treatment plan presented to them, especially if it doesn't feel right, and to seek a second opinion when necessary.
"If I hadn't done that, I think I probably would still have an ileostomy bag," Beran said. "You have to find a doctor that knows the best plan for you and for your life."
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