FORT WORTH, Texas — What was once considered a disease for older men now has a new face, and it’s getting younger.

What You Need To Know

  • In a spring report, the American Cancer Society estimates there will be 154,000 new cases of colorectal cancer this year alone

  • Despite the recommended screening age for colonoscopies being reduced from 50 to 45 years, one North Texas doctor says she’s seeing patients as young as 19 years old

  • One doctor believes the rise in cases may be due to environmental exposure or something beyond people’s control

  • In 2018 and then again in 2021, the recommended age for colonoscopies dropped from 50 to 45 years old by the American Cancer Society and other health groups, due to younger people being diagnosed

In a spring report, the American Cancer Society estimates there will be 154,000 new cases of colorectal cancer this year alone. 

Despite the recommended screening age for colonoscopies being reduced from 50 to 45 years, one North Texas doctor says she’s seeing patients as young as 19 years old.

Making a stop at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth has become the new normal for Abby Cantwell.

“So the past two months, I’ve been here a few times. I saw her before my surgery and then I’ve seen her one time after,” said Cantwell.

The 28-year-old mom from Crowley—just south of Fort Worth—welcomed her second child in November. 

While adjusting to increasing from a family of three to four, she says she was navigating several health hurdles.

“Started having symptoms about a year ago during my pregnancy. I had anemia, constipation,” said Cantwell.

The issues elevated to severe abdominal pain and blood in her stool. 

Those were the red flags that let her know the pregnancy and postpartum phase were not to blame.

She got her first colonoscopy at 27 years old. And then her world turned upside down.

“Hearing the words you have cancer was devastating. That’s the only word I can come up with to describe it. Nothing that I ever would have expected at least at this age,” said Cantwell.

Surprisingly, her doctor says young adults being diagnosed with colon cancer is becoming the norm.

“I’ve had another patient, also younger than you, who was getting constipated and kind of ignoring it, and came in through the emergency room. At least three people off the top of my head under the age of 30 in five years, I would say it’s not uncommon,” said Dr. Bethany Malone, a colon and rectal surgeon at the Fort Worth hospital.

Malone has worked as a colorectal surgeon at Texas Health Fort Worth for the last five years. 

She believes the rise in cases may be due to environmental exposure or something beyond people’s control. 

“By the time we have the data to support changing when to do colonoscopies, we’re gonna have so many people fall to the cracks and it’s gonna affect so many lives,” said Malone.

In 2018 and then again in 2021, the recommended age for colonoscopies dropped from 50 to 45 years old by the American Cancer Society and other health groups, due to younger people being diagnosed.

Malone warns about getting a colonoscopy before 45.

“Insurance only really completely covers screening colonoscopies, so anyone who has symptoms that’s then a diagnostic colonoscopy and the out-of-pocket costs can be pretty significant,” said Malone.

Which is something Cantwell knows all too well. 

“It’s just you never think it will be you. Until it is,” said Cantwell.

With the mass cut out of her colon, another scheduled colonoscopy in the works and chemo shortly after, Cantwell caught the cancer early, giving her at least a fighting chance against this deadly disease.