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A message from a medical oncologist to every parent reading this by Dr. Avishek Kumar.
A few years ago, most people thought of colon cancer as something that happened to older adults. Grandparents. People later in life.
That’s unfortunately not really true anymore.
In my oncology practice in New Jersey, I’m seeing more patients in their 30s and 40s with colon cancer than I used to. Many are busy parents. They’re working, raising kids, trying to stay healthy, and doing all the normal things people do.
And early on, many tell me the same thing:
“I didn’t think it could be cancer. I thought I was too young.”
Honestly, that may be one of the most dangerous sentences I hear in clinic.
The warning signs people brush off
As a physician, and as an Air Force flight surgeon, I was trained to pay attention to warning signs.
In aviation, if a warning light comes on, you do not ignore it just because everything seems fine otherwise. You check it.
In medicine, people do the opposite all the time.
A symptom shows up. It seems small. It is easy to explain away. Life is busy, especially if you are a parent.
So people wait.
Not because they are careless, but because they are taking care of everything else. Kids, work, family, responsibilities. Their own health slips to the bottom of the list.
That is very human. But sometimes it comes at a cost.
Colon cancer is rising in younger adults
Colon cancer is still more common in older adults.
But we are clearly seeing more cases in younger people, and that matters.
We do not have one single explanation. It is likely a mix of diet, obesity, less physical activity, processed foods, and changes in gut health.
This is not about blame. It is about awareness.
Something has changed, and families need to know it.
“No one in my family had it”
One of the most common reassurances I hear is:
“We do not have any family history.”
That feels comforting. But most colon cancers are actually sporadic. They happen in people with no family history at all.
Family history matters, but its absence should not be a reason to ignore symptoms.
The symptoms that get dismissed
Early colon cancer usually does not start with something dramatic. It starts with things that seem familiar.
Blood in the stool is a big one. Many people assume hemorrhoids. Sometimes that is true. But you do not want to guess and be wrong.
Fatigue is another. Parents are tired all the time, so anemia can easily be missed.
Changes in bowel habits matter too. New constipation. Ongoing diarrhea. Stools that look different. Persistent abdominal discomfort. Unexplained weight loss.
Most of the time, these symptoms are not cancer.
But here is the problem:
The early signs of something serious often look exactly like something harmless.
How delays happen
It is rarely one big mistake. It is usually a series of small and understandable delays.
A symptom shows up, then fades. Life gets busy. Someone waits a few weeks. Then a few months.
Eventually the right test gets done, often a colonoscopy, and now we are dealing with something more advanced than we should have been.
I see this pattern over and over again.
Why moms especially need to hear this
Mothers are often the ones holding everything together.
You manage appointments. You notice changes in others. You push your partner to get checked. You advocate for your kids.
But when it comes to your own health, many moms wait.
Not because they do not care. Because they are busy. Because they do not want to overreact. Because they are used to pushing through.
I understand that.
But here is the truth:
Taking care of yourself is part of taking care of your family.
A quick word about at-home tests
At-home stool tests like Cologuard can be helpful.
But they have limits.
A negative test does not rule out cancer.
It does not explain symptoms.
It does not replace a colonoscopy when something feels wrong.
A colonoscopy allows doctors to see what is going on, diagnose cancer, and remove precancerous polyps before they become cancer.
It is not just a test. It is prevention.
What I tell my own patients
I keep this simple.
If you see blood in your stool, get it checked.
If something lasts more than a couple of weeks, or feels different from your normal, pay attention.
And most importantly:
Do not let your age talk you out of getting answers your body may be asking for.
Screening begins at age 45.
But symptoms do not follow guidelines.
If you have them, do not wait.
The bottom line
Colon cancer is no longer just a disease of older adults.
It is showing up in younger, otherwise healthy people, often in the middle of busy lives.
The myth of “I’m too young” leads to delays.
And delays can turn a treatable problem into something much harder.
When caught early, colorectal cancer is often treatable and sometimes curable.
The best cancer story is the one we prevent.
If you are not getting clear answers
If you have symptoms and feel like something is not right, the most important step is to get properly evaluated.
That usually starts with your primary care doctor or a gastroenterologist, and in many cases, that means getting a colonoscopy.
If you have already been diagnosed, or something serious is strongly suspected, that is where a second opinion can matter.
As a medical oncologist in New Jersey, I often see patients after a diagnosis of colon cancer, or when there is strong concern for it, to help confirm the plan and make sure nothing is missed.
Final thought
You take care of everyone else.
This is one moment where taking care of yourself is not optional.
It is essential.
