All articles tagged with #rectal cancer
A 42-year-old single mom from Columbia, S.C., endured months of weight loss and gut changes she initially blamed on perimenopause, only to be diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer—highlighting the rising incidence of colorectal cancer in younger adults and the importance of self-advocacy and timely screening.
A woman in her early 40s misattributed persistent bloody mucus to hemorrhoids during IVF/pregnancy, and it took over a year before a colonoscopy diagnosed stage 3b colorectal cancer. After radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery, she recovered and now emphasizes that colorectal cancer is increasingly seen in people under 50, urging earlier screening and open talk about toilet health.
Shannon Ivey, 42, was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer after months of symptoms she mistook for menopause, including rectal bleeding, pencil-thin stools, and a 26-pound weight loss. She underwent radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery, and is now cancer-free more than a decade later. The piece notes rising rectal cancer rates, especially among people under 50, and stresses self-advocacy and listening to one's body when symptoms appear.
A new American Cancer Society report finds rectal cancer rates are rising across ages and are driving an uptick in colorectal cancer diagnoses among people under 65 in the U.S., with rectal cancers now making up about a third of cases. From 2018–2022, rectal cancer rose about 1% annually in all ages, while younger groups saw faster increases (up to 3% for ages 20–49). The trend is prompting discussion on screening age (USPSTF has lowered it to 45) and faster symptom education/referrals, as many under-50 patients are diagnosed at advanced stages. Emphasized risk factors include smoking, excess weight, physical inactivity, and diet; reducing these could help lower risk.
A new American Cancer Society report shows colon cancer is rising among people under 65, with rectal cancer driving the trend and cases under 50 doubling from 1998 to 2022. Researchers suspect an environmental or behavioral exposure, not inactivity, as the trigger, and the trend is spreading globally. Experts urge earlier awareness and screening—starting colonoscopies at 45 and using home FIT tests—to detect and prevent disease, as many younger patients present with advanced cancer. Emphasizing symptom talk, especially bloody stool and cramps, can help prompt earlier diagnosis.
Toronto model Jess Grossman, who lives with an ostomy after childhood Crohn’s disease and colon removal, says ER staff brushed off her persistent pelvic pain as endometriosis until a CT scan raised flags. After a biopsy, she was diagnosed with rectal cancer four weeks from the first symptoms and is undergoing eight rounds of chemotherapy (16 weeks total) to shrink the tumor before potential surgery to remove the rectal stump. She documents her journey online to raise awareness about colorectal cancer and the importance of early detection.
Catherine O’Hara, 71, died in a Santa Monica hospital; the death certificate lists a pulmonary embolism as the immediate cause and rectal cancer as the long-term illness she had been treated for since 2025; tributes poured in from colleagues celebrating her work on Schitt’s Creek and Home Alone.
Catherine O’Hara died at 71 on Jan. 30 in Santa Monica; a death certificate lists a pulmonary embolism as the cause of death with rectal cancer as an underlying condition, and she was cremated, with tributes pouring in from colleagues and fans.
Catherine O’Hara died at age 71 at her Los Angeles home after a brief illness. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health listed a pulmonary embolism as the immediate cause of death, with rectal cancer noted as the underlying condition. She was cremated and her remains were given to her husband, Bo Welch. The Emmy-winning actress, known for Schitt’s Creek and Home Alone, was honored by colleagues including Eugene Levy and Macaulay Culkin.
Catherine O’Hara died January 30 at her Los Angeles home after a brief illness and hospitalization; TMZ obtained her death certificate, which lists a pulmonary embolism as the cause of death with rectal cancer as the underlying condition.
Deadline reports Catherine O’Hara died at 71 in Los Angeles after a brief illness; the LA County death certificate lists a pulmonary embolism as the cause of death with rectal cancer as the underlying condition, a detail TMZ cited. The beloved actor known for SCTV, Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and Schitt’s Creek is remembered with tributes from the industry.
A 38-year-old man from England died two months after being diagnosed with aggressive stage 4 rectal cancer, which initially presented as back pain that he dismissed as aging, highlighting the importance of seeking medical advice for persistent symptoms.
Young adults born around 1990 face a fourfold increased risk of rectal cancer compared to those born in 1950, driven by environmental factors like obesity, Western diets, and sedentary lifestyles, with disparities affecting minority groups and challenges in diagnosis and treatment for younger patients.
The autopsy report of "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski reveals that he was diagnosed with late-stage rectal cancer in 2021 and was noted to be depressed a month before his suicide in 2023. His death by hanging in his solitary cell at the Federal Medical Center in Butner raises questions about preventability and access to objects for self-harm. The report also mentions his history of mental health disorders and refusal of further cancer treatments due to poor prognosis and negative side effects. Kaczynski, known for a deadly bombing spree, had been captured in 1996 and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
The autopsy report of "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski revealed that he was diagnosed with late-stage rectal cancer in 2021 and was noted to be depressed before his suicide in 2023. Kaczynski, who waged a deadly bombing spree, took his own life in his solitary cell at the Federal Medical Center in Butner. Questions have been raised about the circumstances of his suicide, including how he had access to a shoelace. The report also mentioned extensive injuries due to chest compressions and the spread of his cancer. Kaczynski's notoriety as the "Unabomber" stemmed from his campaign of homemade pipe bombs targeting universities and an American Airlines flight.