‘One Test Saved My Life’: 41-Year-Old Man Discovers That His Quarantine Bloating Is Colon Cancer; What To Know About Screening

McLaughlin tried eliminating foods that seemed to cause him problems, like dairy and gluten products, but he didn't find any relief. By October 2020, the symptoms had escalated. McLaughlin was still bloated and he had started to suffer from painful stomach cramps.

McLaughlin's general practitioner saw cause for concern, and asked him to come for an in-person meeting and to drop off a stool sample for testing. He had no idea how life changing that visit would be. "One test a faecal immunochemical or FIT test saved my life," McLaughlin told The Sun.

The FIT tests for hidden blood in your stool, which can be a sign of cancer. McLaughlin's sample tested far outside the range of what is expected for healthy humans, so he was sent for a colonoscopy.

Through the colonoscopy and biopsy, McLaughlin's doctors determined that he had stage three colon cancer. The cancer had already spread to his lymph nodes, and it was very close to his kidney. "Normally, it's diagnosed in older people, as it starts with a polyp or something similar in the colon and can take up to about 15 to 20 years to become cancerous," McLaughlin explained to The Sun. "My cancer had probably been there for about a year and was a large, stage three cancer."

The United States has the highest colon cancer rate in the world, and Dr. Zuri Murrell of Cedars-Sinai says this is at least partly due to diet.

Now, McLaughlin is going through a grueling treatment process. He began chemotherapy in February and had surgery to remove the right side of his colon in May. He has nine more rounds of chemotherapy to go, but with the end in sight, he is already focused on how he is going to celebrate. "I think Star Wars and Disneyland will be our first stop," he told The Sun. The Star Wars super fan had been scheduled to visit Disneyland Paris last year, but then his health troubles and the pandemic took over.

McLaughlin knows that his FIT and colonoscopy saved his life, and he warns anybody experiencing similar symptoms to be proactive, regardless of your age: "Anyone with unusual bloating, gas and cramping, like I had, please see your doctor. If I'd ignored it for much longer, I might not be here now."

Understanding Colon Cancer

Colon cancer, also called colorectal cancer, is a disease that develops in your large intestine (colon) or in the end of your intestine (rectum). The cancer typically begins as a polyp, which is a lump that grows in the colon. Polyps can take up to 10 years to become cancerous, leaving a long window of time for doctors to identify and remove polyps before they become an issue. One of the challenges of colon cancer is that it does not always produce symptoms, which can make it hard to identify.

When patients do have symptoms, they commonly involve some sort of change to bowel habits. This could include constipation, diarrhea, or changes in the shape and color of bowel movements. Because colon cancer does not always have symptoms, however, it is important for everybody to be screened, even when they feel well.

During a colonoscopy, doctors are looking for polyps which can eventually grow into cancer, according to colorectal surgeon Dr. Zuri Murrell.

Colon Cancer Screening

In a previous interview, Dr. Zuri Murrell told Survivornet, "Colon cancer is almost completely preventable with screening, but according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1/3 of adults are not getting the recommended screening." This is likely because they are not comfortable talking to doctors about their bowel movements, and they are intimidated by the prospect of getting a colonoscopy. "You shouldn't die from embarrassment," said Dr. Murrell.

The American Cancer Society recommends that people at average risk for colorectal cancer begin being screened at age 45. This could involve a test that looks for signs of cancer in a person's stool, or with a visual exam that looks inside the colon and rectum. After this initial screening, patients should have a colonoscopy every 10 years. If polyps are discovered, this rate of screening should increase to a colonoscopy every three to five years. Most national organizations do not put an upper age limit on colon cancer screening, but the American Cancer Society suggests that people over the age of 76 base their screening decisions on conversations with their doctors.

People who have a family history of colorectal cancer, a confirmed or suspected hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease) or a personal history of getting radiation to the abdomen or pelvic area to treat a prior cancer should be screened for colorectal cancer earlier than age 45.

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