Antonio Serna, M.D., gastroenterologist at San Antonio Gastroenterology Associates and Endoscopy Center, recently appeared on FOX San Antonio to discuss the increase of colon cancer in young adults. According to a 2017 study, people born in 1990 are twice as likely as those born in 1950 to be diagnosed with colon cancer and four times as likely to be diagnosed with rectal cancer. The cause isn’t known, but physicians suspect diet and sedentary lifestyles may be to blame.
In the video, Dr. Serna urges young adults not to ignore symptoms and to talk to family members to learn whether they have a family history of colorectal cancer. Symptoms include blood in the stool, a change in bowel pattern, abdominal discomfort and unintentional weight loss.
Dr. Serna stresses that a referral from a primary care physician is not needed to be screened for colorectal cancer and early detection is often a lifesaver. The full video can be viewed here.