Health officials give colon cancer warning signs to look out for

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Doctors have noticed more young people dying from colon cancer in recent years, and are looking to give the public warning signs before its too late.

Colon cancer is the fourth most common kind of cancer and is also the second deadliest, health officials said.

Data shows people born after 1990 are six times more likely to die of colon cancer than people born before 1990.

Doctors aren’t sure what’s causing this, but they notice the trend.

Some symptoms to watch out for including gastrointestinal problems, abdominal pain, nausea and bleeding, which is a main indicator you should see your doctor for.

“Do not put it off,” Dr. Russell Farmer, UofL School of Medicine said. “If you’re having blood when you use the restroom, and you don’t go see someone right away, that could be a lethal problem. It’s people that put this off when they’re having symptoms that end up dying from this disease, because often times if you come in, even if you have symptoms, this is one of the diseases that we can cure with surgery and other types of treatment.”

There’s a few tests other than a colonoscopy that people can get done to catch it.

Officials said people can do tests at their regular doctor visit or even use Cologuard.