California mom Melissa Ursini visited her OBGYN after complaining of "labor pains" when she wasn't pregnant, but her doctor did not find anything concerning about her test results. She also saw a gastroenterologist, who dismissed her condition as constipation.
Ursini wasn't losing any weight and kept her active lifestyle as a mom in her 30s. She told Today that it never crossed her mind that she would have colon cancer because she thought it was an "old person's disease."
The mom is now one of 18,000 people below 50 years old diagnosed with the condition in recent years, thus breaking down the misconception that colon cancer can only happen to aging people. Since her diagnosis of stage 2 colon cancer, Ursini has advocated getting tested and never disregarding the symptoms as just another stomach issue.
Melissa's Symptoms of Colon Cancer
Ursini relayed that she experienced a lot of pain in her lower abdominal area in early 2021. Initially, the pain would subside and come back, but it progressed into a consistent pain akin to period cramps and labor pains.
While her gastroenterologists tried to figure out what was ailing her, Ursini began to eat less and less because she didn't have any appetite, yet she didn't drop any weight. She was also vomiting whatever she ate and thought this was the effect of the antibiotics.
When her CT scan results were clear, her doctor told her that she might have contracted parasites during her travels. But this was during the height of the COVID lockdowns when she stayed home; thus, the assumption was dismissed.
One day, Ursini threw up something that smelled really bad, making her call up her brother-in-law, who works as an ER nurse. He immediately picked her up at home and brought her to the hospital because he believed there was an obstruction in her stomach as she coughed out bile.
Several tests later, Ursini was finally told of her actual condition: colon cancer. The doctors advised her for an emergency colonoscopy and surgery to remove a 7-inch mass in her intestines.
The young mom completed her chemotherapy in October 2021 and has had her follow-up scans. Her recent colonoscopy reveals she's cancer-free, and she has never been more grateful to embrace her health.
Get Screened for Colon Cancer
Ursini's grandfather had colon cancer, and there weren't much the doctors could do for him when he learned of his condition. Her father, on the other hand, had non-Hodgkins lymphoma. According to the experts, those with a family history of cancer should get screenings as early as possible.
Dr. Michael Hurtuk, a colorectal surgeon at OSF HealthCare, said that if a person has been dealing with gastrointestinal issues for some time, despite the absence of blood in the stool or abnormal bowel movements, they should consider getting tested. Colon cancer has a "very broad spectrum of symptoms" that might seem nothing at first, and these days, younger people's symptoms are not any different than older adults.
Incidentally, Colon Cancer Awareness Month takes place this March, and doctors are reminding the public to "trust their gut" and talk to their doctor if they feel something off in their body.
