Understanding Bowel Cancer
- A mother of two admitted she was too caught up in her new romance to the blood in her stool, which was a symptom of bowel cancer.
- Bowel cancer, also referred to as colorectal cancer, is the third most common cancer affecting men and women in the United States.
- In the United Kingdom, where Tasha Thor-Straten lives, bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death, accounting for 10% of all cancer deaths.
The year was 2016 and Tasha Thor-Straten, now 49, had just moved in with her fiancé Russ Parker and their children from previous relationships. It was around the same time that she started noticing a strange symptom of what she didn't yet know was cancer blood in her stool.
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The colonoscopy and additional tests revealed the true cause of Tasha's symptoms: stage 4 bowel cancer.
"I knew something was going on but I didn't expect it to be as bad as it was," she said. "The doctor told me that I had terminal bowel cancer, it had spread to my lungs and I was offered palliative care. It was utterly shocking and devastating."
"It never occurred to me that my symptoms could be bowel cancer," she added. "I was fit, healthy and took care of my diet and there was no history of it in my family. To find out that not only was it cancer, but that I was going to die from it was almost too much to bear."
What was definitely too much to bear was when Tasha had to think about planning her own funeral.
But amid the darkness, there was light.
Just a few months after her initial diagnosis, Tasha was given some incredible news.
"On further inspection, while I do have lung nodules, the doctors discovered they are not cancerous," she said. "Just like that, I was given a window of hope."
Her cancer was downgraded from stage 4 to stage 3, and she was given a glimmer of hope with the option of having surgery.
"I went in for my operation on February 28 (2017)," she said. "They cut out the part of my bowel where the cancer was, which was about a 35-millimeter tumor and then they had to put my bowel back together again."
Her operation was a success, and afterward, she began chemotherapy treatment. It took a huge toll on her body, so in collaboration with her doctors, she decided in August 2017 to stop her treatment after four rounds as she was making good progress.
And shortly after that, she was deemed cancer-free! Tasha now own life-coaching business.
"It felt like the day I got my life back and I wanted to be able to help other people who were going through cancer diagnoses," Tasha said.
Understanding Bowel Cancer
Bowel cancer, also referred to as colorectal cancer, is the third most common cancer affecting men and women in the United States.
It also kills more Americans each year than every other form of cancer except lung cancer.
In the U.K., where Tasha lives, bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death, according to Cancer Research UK, accounting for 10% of all cancer deaths.
Dr. Paul Oberstein explains the symptoms of colon cancer.
Signs & Symptoms
Many symptoms of bowel cancer are similar to those of irritable bowel syndrome, so make sure to consult with your doctor.
Dr. Paul Oberstein, director of the Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology Program at NYU Langone's Perlmutter Cancer Center, previously told SurvivorNet a few common symptoms of the disease to look out for:
- Change in bowel movements sudden changes to the size, consistency or caliber of stool
- Change in stool color bright red or black stool is a sign that an individual should seek medical attention
- Pain in the abdomen unusual discomfort or bloating of the stomach. In the case of women, pain isn't related to the menstrual cycle.
- Sudden and unexplained weight loss rapid drop in weight that isn't the result of diet or exercise
- Anemia Individuals who feel a general sense of malaise or faintness, or are constantly tired or weak much more than usual, may want to consult a doctor.
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