A California woman has stopped treatment after nearly a decade of battling colon cancer, despite undergoing 180 rounds of chemotherapy and seven surgeries. Jamie Comer, 55, was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer in 2016 and given just six months to live. However, she persevered and is now using her experience to advocate for earlier screening guidelines.
Comer’s story highlights the growing epidemic of colon cancer among young people in the US, where rates have risen over the past two decades. The American Cancer Society estimates that 154,270 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer this year, with nearly 20,000 cases and 3,750 deaths occurring in individuals under 50.
Despite having no symptoms before her diagnosis, Comer’s liver enzymes were elevated during a routine blood test, leading to a colonoscopy that revealed stage four colon cancer. She underwent extensive treatment, including chemotherapy and surgery, but ultimately decided to stop treatment due to its lasting wear and tear on her body.
Now, Comer is focusing on encouraging young patients to get screened for colon cancer, arguing that it could have made a significant difference in her own story if the recommended screening age had been lowered earlier. “I would have been inconvenienced for maybe 18 months, but it would not have been a death sentence,” she said.
Comer’s experience underscores the importance of addressing the growing trend of colon cancer among young people, which is attributed to factors such as obesity, diet, and environmental exposures. As experts continue to investigate the underlying causes of this epidemic, Comer remains a vocal advocate for greater awareness and earlier screening guidelines.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14535921/woman-180-rounds-chemotherapy-colon-cancer.html