by Bradley Thornock
Most teenagers and young adults don?t fret about contracting cancer, thrusting the threat into the back concourses of their minds; however, this willful ignorance can be deadly.
The archaic notion that cancer is exclusively reserved for the elderly has been steadily refuted. For example, recent news celebrated the reduction of cancer rates for years in the general population, yet during that same time interval the American Cancer Society announced that the rates for thyroid, testicular and colorectal cancers had increased in 20-39 year-olds.
In 2006 alone over 55,000 teens and young adults contracted thyroid, testicular or colorectal cancer; during that same year almost 10,000 teens and young adults died from these cancers according to the ACS. Cancer is the fourth leading cause of teenage and young adult death.
The New York Times article, ?Too Young for This: Facing Cancer Under 40,? published in January, detailed the story of Dr. Jeff Carenza, who faced colorectal cancer at the age of 29. For months, Carenza ignored symptoms of fatigue and paleness. After a bout with food poisoning, Carenza discovered he had iron-deficiency anemia, a condition caused by intestinal bleeding. His doctor reluctantly performed a colonoscopy that revealed a large tumor in his traverse colon. Carenza had no family history of colon cancer.
Carenza?s ordeal illustrates several issues surrounding the increasing rates of teen and young adult cancer. The exact mechanisms leading to teenage and young adult cancers are still a mystery, confounding many prevention protocols. However, there are various contributing factors to young adult cancer that can be controlled.
One of the most salient factors is the sense of invincibility that many young adults sense. This pseudo-invincibility kills. Teens and young adults are more likely to disregard and de-emphasize warning signs for cancer, delaying physician visits until the disease has reached advanced stages. In addition, many doctors are disinclined to diagnose younger patients with cancer, opting to test for other ailments before cancer.
According to the ACS, teen and young adults have better survival rates from cancers than older patients. However, the best survival rates are associated with early detection. For example, Stage I colorectal cancer has a 93 percent survival rate, while Stage IV only has a survival rate of 8 percent. Therefore, it is imperative for young adults and teens to learn the early warning signs for cancers, particularly those of the colorectal, testicular and thyroid. General warning signs for these cancers include pain and fatigue.
Specifically, lumps are associated with thyroid and testicular cancers, and bloody stool may be a symptom of colorectal cancer.
In addition, health behaviors such as dietary changes, increased exercise and weight management can mediate contracting cancer.
A more complete listing of warning signs, positive health behaviors, screening tools, and treatment options for colorectal, testicular and thyroid cancers has been posted at www.fowie.com/invinciblitykills. Other informative Web sites include www.cancer.org (American Cancer Society) and www.cancer.gov (National Cancer Institute).
Bradley Thornock, from Brigham City, graduated from BYU in April with a B.S. in psychology. He will attend the University of Michigan in the fall to pursue a Master's of Public Health in Health Management and Policy.