SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — More young people are being diagnosed with cancer, particularly colon cancer. Doctors say they’re seeing more people in their 20s and 30s with stage three and four cancer.
Sierra LaMania had been working as a receptionist at a physical therapy office in her hometown of Sarasota.
“Back in 2021 is when I started to notice I was having pretty intense IBS issues,” said LaMania.
Sierra was experiencing bloating, pain and an urgency to go to the bathroom.
“I went to my doctor, had CT scans, MRIs pelvic ultrasound, even an EGD done to see if I have celiac; everything came back clean,” she said.
She made changes to her diet by cutting out dyes, sugars and highly processed foods, but wasn’t until June of 2022 after a low back injury and some hip pain that things changed.
“I decided to get a colonoscopy, and it was then that they found a four-centimeter tumor in my rectum,” said LaMania.
Sierra began treatment immediately at Moffitt Cancer Center with the hopes she does not have to undergo surgery. She was diagnosed with Stage 2B colorectal cancer in August of 2023.
“No doctor I had interacted with nobody had ever mentioned the word cancer nobody suspected, because especially based on my age,” said LaMania.
Because Sierra is only 33, her treatment is sequenced differently. She undergoes four rounds of chemo, then has scans. If those scans show the chemo isn’t strong enough, she will need radiation.
“They just want to make sure that they’re doing everything they can considering my age to treat the cancer because they want to make sure that I can live a long and healthy life after all this is said and done, with the hope of no reoccurrence.”
Sierra is part of an alarming trend.
“About 20% of my clinic now is made of patients younger than 50 with colorectal cancer,” said Dr. Tiago Biachi, Moffitt Cancer Center associate member of medical oncologist.
The American Cancer Society has found colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer deaths in men under the age of 50 and the second among women of the same age.
“Ultimately, it will become the first cause of cancer death by 2030 and female as well so we’re just it’s unbelievable,” said Dr. Biachi.
With this shocking diagnosis at such a young age, Sierra turns to her loved ones for support.
“She is my rock my everything and my everything after 15 years I just want to make sure she gets through this, I don’t enjoy watching my partner in pain,” Roberto Acevedo, Sierra’s partner said.
“My boyfriend, Roberto, my parents, my sister, my best friend and my family they are they been the support has been out wavering and it’s because of them I fight,” said LaMania.
Doctors said if you have a family history get screened, and that everyone 45 and older should get a colonoscopy. Symptoms to watch for include abdominal pain, blood in the stool, and unintentional weight loss.
