A doctor has urged the public to watch out for overlooked cancer symptoms after one 34-year-old was diagnosed in stage four.
Dr Sermed Mezher, an award-winning GP who worked at the NHS for six years, took to Instagram to share the harrowing experience of one cancer survivor, 34, who initially missed the signs that something was seriously amiss with his health.
“How did a man under 30 miss the signs of stage four colorectal cancer?” Dr Mezher said to his 106k followers (@drsermedmezher).
“His name is Joe Faratzis and when he was just [28] years old he had a few months of feeling as though things weren’t right […]
“After he got checked out, they found out that his cancer spread from his bowels all the way up to his lungs and he had to have multiple rounds of chemo and radiotherapy.”
Colorectal cancer – or bowel cancer – is the fourth most common type of cancer in the UK, according to Cancer Research. Approximately 42,9000 people are diagnosed with the disease each year, which kickstarts when abnormal cells form in the bowel before growing into other tissues and organs.
A couple of specks of blood in his faeces, a change in bowel habits and persistent abdominal pain were among the initial symptoms Joe experienced.
The Colorectal Cancer Alliance (CCA) also recommends watching out for unexplained weight loss and nausea – two signs that are easily overlooked.
“Changing bowel habits may include intermittent or constant diarrhoea and/or constipation, a change in the consistency of your stool, or stools that are more narrow than usual,” the CCA’s advice reads.
“Blood in or on your stool is a symptom of rectal cancer and colon cancer. The blood can be bright red, or the stool may be black and tarry or brick red.”
Although the cause of bowel cancer isn’t always identifiable, the NHS suggests you’re more likely to get it if you’re over 50, you smoke or you’re overweight.
Dr Mezher also added: “There is of course a genetic component to cancer risk but Joe admits that he was having a diet high in fast foods, processed meats and low in fibre, which have been shown to also increase the risk.
“It’s very important for young people to recognise and act on these signs early as the cases have been rising and the chance of survival with stage four is just 13%. But he cleared it.”