24-Year-Old Diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer After Ignoring Key Symptom
Surrey, UK – A 24-year-old woman, Meagan Meadows, is battling stage three colon cancer after initially dismissing a concerning symptom, according to a report from SurreyLive. Meadows’ diagnosis came after seeking medical attention to discover the cause of her symptoms.
A colonoscopy revealed a large mass on her colon, leading to a confirmed diagnosis of colon cancer just three days later. “My heart sank when they told me my cancer was stage three,” Meadows confided.
In June 2025, surgeons removed 25 centimeters of her colon and 20 lymph nodes.Subsequent biopsy results revealed that seven of those lymph nodes were cancerous, solidifying the stage three diagnosis. “When they said seven lymph nodes were cancerous, I was devastated.I didn’t expect it to be so serious,” she stated.
Meadows is now undergoing a six-month chemotherapy protocol, which she describes as increasingly grueling. “The whole way home, I was telling my parents that I didn’t want to die.It was so scary to go from being a normal 24-year-old to knowing that death was a possibility at my age,” she said. Her gastroenterologist informed her she was the youngest patient he had ever treated with this diagnosis.
The case highlights the importance of recognizing potential symptoms of colorectal cancer, even in young adults. Thes include changes in bowel habits – constipation, diarrhea, or alternating between the two – and the sensation of incomplete bowel emptying. Blood in the stool, frequently enough mistaken for hemorrhoids as in Meadows’ case, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, and anemia are also warning signs.
Early detection through screening, especially stool blood tests, remains crucial for effective treatment. Friends and family have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover Meadows’ medical expenses.