A young woman has shared her experience of being diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer at just 24 years old, using social media to alert others about easily overlooked warning signs.
Meagan Meadows revealed on TikTok that doctors discovered a four-centimetre tumour following a colonoscopy in early June that resulted in a stage 3 cancer diagnosis.
"It's not an easy story to tell, but I'm hoping that this will help someone who is on the same boat. Colon cancer is becoming a lot more common among younger generations," she said in her video.
Her sole symptom was occasional, minimal bleeding when using the toilet.
TikTok / meagan_meadows
|Meagan described her symptoms on TikTok
Medical professionals have emphasised the critical importance of recognising potential warning signs of colorectal cancer.
Dr David Liska, a colorectal surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic, stressed that rectal bleeding should never be automatically dismissed as haemorrhoids.
"So whenever somebody sees blood in their stool or on their toilet paper, you should definitely bring it up with your physician and discuss if a colonoscopy or other examination is necessary," Dr Liska advised.
He noted that early-onset colorectal cancers frequently develop in the rectum or the final section of the large intestine, making awareness of symptoms particularly crucial for younger patients.
Meadows explained that her bleeding was sporadic and minimal, factors that led her to dismiss the symptom initially.
"I truly almost never noticed it there, and that's exactly why I think it went on for a little longer than it should have. It wasn't there every time, or it wasn't in huge amounts. So I easily wrote it off as something else," she recounted.
Unfortunately, cancer is one of many conditions that are easily overlooked when symptoms appear minor or intermittent.
This has prompted efforts from health bodies to raise awareness of the key indicators that warrant medical consultation.
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|Persistent constipation lasting multiple days should prompt medical discussion
"Another common symptom is a change in bowel habits, and that can be a variety of things. It depends on what a person's normal bowel habits are," Dr Liska explained.
He specified that persistent constipation or frequent diarrhoea lasting multiple days should prompt medical discussion.
Additionally, alterations in stool diameter represent another potential warning sign.
"If you consistently note that the calibre of your stool is smaller and different from what it usually looks like, bring it up with your physician," Dr Liska advised.