I was diagnosed with bowel cancer at 22 – these are signs I ignored

A young woman who mistook her bowel cancer symptoms for period cramps has urged others to be aware of the tell-tale signs of the disease. 

Charlotte Lasica, from Sydney, Australia, suddenly began experiencing stomach pain and cramping in early 2024.

But the then-22-year-old blamed it on her menstrual cycle and eating something that didn’t agree with her.

It was only after the cramping became more intense by July and her bloating worsened, that she was urged by a friend to get her symptoms checked out and she contacted a gastroenterologist. 

Test results in August revealed she had stage three bowel cancer—meaning it had spread to her nearby lymph nodes. 

After major surgery to remove her colon and eight rounds of gruelling chemotherapy, last month she was declared cancer free. 

Now, Ms Lasica is calling on people to recognise the little-known signs of the cancer and not to give up if they think something isn’t right with their body, amid an explosion in cases of the disease in young people. 

Recalling her terrifying ordeal, Ms Lasica said: ‘I was putting it down to my menstrual cycle or just something that didn’t agree with my belly. 

‘But then towards July last year, they became really persistent and wouldn’t go away. 

‘I was swollen, I felt full all the time. One of my good family friends is studying to be a doctor and she saved me in a way. 

She pushed me, she said: “You need to go get checked.”‘

She told ABC News: ‘My gastroenterologist tried to reassure me, saying no it’s not bowel cancer, you’re too young. 

Then I went in for my colonoscopy and got the news that it was bowel cancer. 

‘I was his youngest patient he’s ever had to tell the news to, so he was in complete shock as well.’ 

There are around 44,000 cases of bowel cancer every year in the UK and 142,000 in the US, making it the fourth most common cancer in both countries.

But cases are rising in young people, an alarming trend that experts have linked to modern diets, chemical exposure and lifestyles.

Symptoms often include changes in bowel movements such as consistent and new diarrhoea or constipation, needing or feeling the need to poo more or less frequently and blood in the stool.

Stomach pain, a lump in the stomach, bloating, unexpected weight-loss and fatigue are among other signs. 

Anyone experiencing these symptoms should contact their GP for advice. 

In September 2024, Ms Lasica underwent a total colectomy—a surgical procedure where the entire colon is removed—resulting in a temporary ileostomy.

Also known as a stoma, this is a permanent opening in the bowel that allows her faeces to collect in a pouch. 

Ms Lasica said: ‘I couldn’t look at it for two months, I couldn’t look at it. I refused. 

‘In hospital I had my stoma nurse come around and say to me, “you’re not leaving until you can change it yourself” and I said “I’m not doing it”. 

‘I couldn’t do it. But now it’s just my thing. People wake up in the morning and they put their glasses on to see or they check their glucose. 

‘I just go “this is my thing” and it’s not going to be forever. It has essentially saved my life.’

Over the next six months she underwent eight rounds of chemotherapy. Last month, CT scan results showed she was officially cancer free. 

Now, Ms Lasica is urging young people not to ignore red flag signs and not to take no for answer if they think there may be something wrong with their health. 

‘I think because on the outside I looked ok and I felt ok within myself, I just kept dismissing it,’ she said. 

‘It’s like I almost didn’t want to know, even though knowing would have changed my outcomes dramatically. 

‘I just want to put my story out there to encourage people to advocate for themselves and if they aren’t getting answers, to push for them. 

‘You know your body better than anyone else and you can’t let someone tell you otherwise. 

‘A colonoscopy is nothing compared to what you go through if you don’t get that initial scope done, so do it.’

The disease, the third most common cancer in the UK, is the same type that killed Dame Deborah James at age 40 in 2022. 

Although the vast majority of bowel cancer diagnoses affect those aged over 50, rates in older age-groups has either declined or held stable while diagnoses in younger adults have risen by 50 per cent over the last 30 years.

Cancer Research UK estimates that over half (54 per cent) of bowel cancer cases in the UK are preventable. 

Doctors have suggested obesity, antibiotic over-use, mobile phone radiation and even invisible particles of plastic in drinking water are potential triggers. 

However a growing number of experts are also pointing ultra-processed foods as a cause.