Woman, 39, Thought Constant Bloating Was Lactose Intolerance. But It Was Colorectal Cancer More Young People Are Getting the Disease

"I spent years thinking I had food sensitivities," she said.

“I thought I was lactose intolerant or allergic to gluten, but could never put my finger on the cause of it,” she added.

Lactose intolerant is a condition that may be familiar to a lot of people. It is when the body is unable to fully digest the sugar in milk or milk products, according to Mayo Clinic.

The condition can cause diarrhea, bloating, gas, stomach cramps, nausea and sometimes vomiting similar to what Piette experienced.

Piette ended up discovering the true cause of her persistent symptoms after an abnormal pap smear prompted her doctor to recommend a colonoscopy.

A colposcopy is a type of screening to examine the colon and rectum. It involves a long thin tube attached to a camera.

Doctors discovered Piette had a 5cm growth in her abdomen and diagnosed her with stage 3 colorectal cancer. During stage 3, the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes around the colon.

Piette's diagnosis brought on a great deal of anxiety for the young mother.

WATCH: The truth about colon cancer screening.

"It scared me mostly that I could possibly be leaving my 9-year-old daughter without a mother," she said.

"My family was very sad and worried about me though, and my daughter didn't really show much emotion at the time, but she currently struggles with anxiety and separation anxiety," Piette further explained.

So many cancer survivors can relate to Piette’s experience after her diagnosis.

A cancer diagnosis can bring on a wide range of emotions including anxiety and depression. It is important to remember these feelings are normal. The patient feels the brunt of the diagnosis physically and emotionally, but their loved ones are also impacted emotionally.

"When I heard I needed chemotherapy, I collapsed in my living room in tears. Then I picked myself up and went into warrior mode," Piette described.

At the time of Piette's diagnosis, COVID-19 restrictions were still in place, which meant she could not have the full breadth of support she had hoped for.

"I had very minimal help, sometimes people would drop off care packages and send cards, but physically I was on my own to care for myself," Piette said.

Luckily, her chemotherapy and radiation treatments proved successful. In January 2022, Piette told the news outlet, that her scans showed the "tumor was gone."

During chemotherapy, cancer-killing drugs are given intravenously or by mouth to kill cancer cells. During radiation therapy, high-energy beams such as X-rays target cancer cells to kill them.

Understanding Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer that affects your large intestine (or colon) or the end of your intestine, which is your rectum.People may refer to it as colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where it started.

According to the American Cancer Society, excluding skin cancers, colon cancer is the third-most common cancer in the U.S. An estimated "106,970 new cases" will be diagnosed this year.

The cancer starts when abnormal lumps called polyps grow inside your colon or rectum. If these polyps are not removed, they can turn cancerous. It takes up to 10 years for a polyp to become cancerous.

Colon cancer symptoms and warning signs include:

• Change in bowel movement
• Bloody stool
• Diarrhea, constipation, or feeling the bowel does not empty completely
• Unexplained weight loss
• Constant abdominal pain or cramps

As you can see, some of these symptoms are similar to other conditions, like digestive issues, as Lindsay Jayn Piette initially thought she had. While experiencing these symptoms does not necessarily mean you have cancer, it’s important to discuss changes to your health with your doctor.

Colon cancer staging accounts for the depth of the tumor in the colon, and whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or other organs.

• Stage 1 cancers are those in which the tumor has only penetrated the superficial layers of the colon and hasn't gotten into the deeper layers
• Stage 2 cancers involve the deeper layers of the colon wall
• Stage 3 cancers have spread to the lymph nodes around the colon
• Stage 4 cancers have spread to other organs, such as the liver, lungs, or peritoneal cavity (the space in your abdomen that holds your intestines, stomach, and liver)

Most cases of colon cancer can be prevented by keeping up with regular screening performed via a colonoscopy. SurvivorNet experts recommend getting a colonoscopy rather than relying solely on an at-home test to get the most accurate results.

The advantage of a colonoscopy is that your doctor can discover any polyps before they have turned into cancer, and those polyps can be removed during the procedure. If no polyps are discovered, the next screening won't be needed for about 10 years.

The CDC suggests regular colon screening begin at age 45.

More Young People Are Getting Colorectal Cancer

Lindsay Jayn Piette was just 39 when she was diagnosed with late-stage colorectal cancer significantly younger than the average age of people diagnosed with the disease. The average age at the time of diagnosis for colon cancer is 68 for men and 72 for women, according to the American Cancer Society. For rectal cancer, it is age 63 for both men and women.

She is part of a growing and concerning trend of more people under 50 being diagnosed with the disease.

In a study published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians cer, researchers say, "One in five new cases now occur in individuals in their early 50s or younger."

Since the 1990s colorectal cancer cases have been rising among adults younger than 50. The proportion of cases in people younger than 55 years old "increased from 11% in 1995 to 20% in 2019."

Meanwhile, the research also found that people with colorectal cancer are being diagnosed once the cancer was already in its advanced stages.

"We know rates are increasing in young people, but it's alarming to see how rapidly the whole patient population is shifting younger, despite shrinking numbers in the overall population," cancer epidemiologist and lead study author Rebecca Siegel said.

Researchers are working to learn why younger people are being diagnosed in greater numbers. Some experts point to risk factors which include obesity, physical inactivity, and smoking as a possible explanation for the increase.

"We don't know for sure why we are seeing earlier onset and death from colon cancer,"  Dr. Heather Yeo, a surgical oncologist who specializes in colorectal cancers at Weill Cornell Medicine, told SurvivorNet.

"It is likely a combination of factors, including diet and genetics as well as access to care and some environmental factors," Dr. Yeo added.

Power of Positivity

Piette says after battling colorectal cancer that she has a new outlook on life.

"Sometimes, it just hits me while driving or watching the sunset that, 'Wow, I get another chance at life'," she said.

She credits her positive mindset for helping her persevere throughout her cancer journey.

WATCH: How gratitude and positivity can impact your cancer journey.

“I fully believe my positive mindset and being able to just be in the moment helped me through this," Piette said.

"A positive attitude is really important," says Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Dr. Zuri Murrell believes having a positive mindset during a cancer journey helps your overall prognosis.

"Now doesn’t that mean I’m good at saying that the cancer won’t grow. But I’m pretty good at telling what kind of patient is going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with a bad, bad disease. And those are patients who have gratitude in life," Dr. Murrell said.

Since beating the disease, she's changed her diet by avoiding red meat and processed meats. She also eats plenty of vegetables. Her advocacy work now includes spreading awareness about colorectal cancer and the value of colonoscopies.

"Colonoscopies are scary and not pleasant, so a lot of people put them off or don't do them at all. I would love to inspire people to slow down and listen to their bodies and then ask for help if they need it and investigate their health concerns," Piette said.

Questions for Your Doctor

If you suspect you may have colorectal cancer, here are some questions you should consider asking your doctor:

• Do you recommend I get a colonoscopy, even if I am younger than the recommended age?
• Which of my symptoms are similar to those due to colorectal cancer?
• How can I prepare for the colonoscopy?
• What will the results tell me?
• When should I come back to reassess my symptoms/condition?

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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