‘I was diagnosed with rectal cancer at 28 - all my symptoms came on rapidly’

And while the shift has been linked to dietary trends, questions surrounding the exact cause remain largely unanswered.

Symptom awareness, therefore, is one of the most reliable lines of defence against the disease, and TikTok is seeing more content creators come forward to share their experience.

In a recent upload, 30-year-old Kalei Martin warned her viewers symptom onset can be sudden.

“I’m 30 years old. But at 28, I was diagnosed with stage 2 rectal cancer, and a year later I was diagnosed with stage 4 rectal cancer, with metastases spread to my lungs,” she told viewers.

“More research was released recently showing that colorectal cancer is the number one cancer killer among people under the age of 50, which is crazy.

“I had no prior history of colorectal cancer. All of my doctors told me after my diagnosis that it was likely due to environmental factors, such as a Western diet and things in the air that we’re breathing.”

Dissecting the symptoms that led to her original diagnosis, Kalei highlighted just how important it is to listen to your body.

“I believe it’s very important for people under 50 to be in tune with their bodies, make sure they are getting checked, and make sure they are advocating for themselves if something feels off,” she said.

“Some symptoms that led to my diagnosis were severe abdominal cramping, paired with rectal bleeding, and I was having tissue come out when I used the restroom.”

Kalei said the rectal bleeding progressed to blood clots, and things gradually got worse.

Eventually, she would feel the urge to have a bowel movement, but nothing would pass.

“[It] progressed to feeling the urge to use the bathroom, but nothing would come out except for blood and clots," she explained.

“There are so many other symptoms to look out for, but this is what I personally experienced.”

She pointed out that her experience differs greatly from others' as symptoms typically develop over a long period of time.

“But mine came pretty close together, back to back,” she noted. “Things escalated pretty quickly within a one-month span.

“I brought my concerns to my primary care physician as well as two different ER doctors, but I was brushed off because I’m young and healthy, with no family history of anything.