Why colorectal cancer is often only caught in the late stages

Normally, we prefer our intestines to keep it with a low key. But experts say silence is exactly what allows colorectal cancer to fly under the radar and return deadly.

“Some patients arrive in phase 4 without apparent symptoms,” told Dr. Parul Shukla, Regional Chief of Colorectal Surgery for Northwell Westchester. “At the time the symptoms appear – such as the blood in the excrement – the cancer is usually quite advanced.”

Shukla warning comes in the midst of a recent increase in cases of colorectal cancer between 45 and younger patients, especially women – a trend that is concerned with doctors who once saw the disease as mostly affecting older adults.

Colorectal cancer is often called a “silent killer”, partly because the symptoms of the early phase can be mistaken for other conditions, according to Dr. Poppy Addison, colorectal surgeon in Northwell Staten Island University Hospital.

“Symptoms can include a change in your normal intestinal habits, including diarrhea or constipation, or a change in the size or color of the excrement, especially if the excrement becomes bloody or dark,” Addison said. “Other symptoms may be unclear, including weight loss you do not intend, abdominal pain or fatigue.”

When patients experience these early signs, Shukla says many remove them as indigestion, hemorrhoids or diet -related issues. As a result, doctors may delay further testing, losing the opportunity for early intervention.

“Women can err anemia in severe periods,” he added. “In some cases, undiagnosed colorectal cancer is the current cause, leading to a dangerous lost diagnosis.”

Doctors also say they are seeing many patients who just don’t want to talk about their abdominal problems.

“I am seeing patients among their 20s with aggressive cancer,” said Dr. Mark Soliman, a colorectal surgeon, in a recent video on the surgeon, an app that acts as a social media platform for surgeons to exchange skills and advice with each other.

“As a surgeon, it is heartbroken to testify because it is 100% preventable,” he said. “But people are too ashamed to talk to their doctor about their intestinal movements or the color of their excrement.”

If you experience any of these symptoms, Addison recommends talk to your doctor immediately, as colorectal cancer is considered very treatable when caught early.

In fact, more than 90% of people treated for colorectal cancer at the early stage are alive five years after diagnosis, according to the National Cancer Institute.

This number drops to 15% or less after the disease spreads to the distant organs beyond the colon or rectum.

Today, “many cases are only caught when the tumor has increased significantly, underlining the importance of proactive testing,” Shukla said.

In 2025, the American Cancer Society estimates 107.320 new cases of colon cancer and 46,950 new cases of rectum cancer will be diagnosed in the United States. They also expect 52,900 people to die from diseases.

Instructions for colorectal cancer control were previously decided to begin at the age of 50, but recommendations recently decreased to 45 for medium -risk adults due to increased cases among young people.

From 2000 to 2016, cases of colorectal cancer among adults aged 40-49 years were dropped by nearly 15%, according to the Task Force for US preventive services.

Even more alarming, these cancers are being diagnosed in more advanced stages among young adults, making colorectal cancer leading to death from US men under 50, and the second leading cause in women of the same age.

While the exact cause of these tendencies is still unknown, some experts point to the Western diet, lack of exercises and environmental pollutants as potential factors.

“The clear message should be that for patients with medium risk, examination should start at 45,” Addison said.

The examination of colorectal cancer can be done with a stool -based test, blood test or a visual exam of the colon or rectum, such as colonoscopy.

People with good health should continue regular appearances up to the age of 75. For those aged 76-85, the decision to be controlled depends on personal preference, longevity, overall health and preliminary control history.

Review is generally not recommended after the age of 85, as the risks of a colonoscopy – including perforation, bleeding and anesthesia complications – often exceed the possible benefits.