Dismissed as ‘Too Young’: One Woman’s Fight Against Early-Onset Colon Cancer

A Misunderstood Diagnosis

For Azucena “Suzy” Reyes, the journey to a life-saving diagnosis was marked by months of debilitating pain and medical dismissal. At 32, while balancing a nursing assistant program, a construction business, and the responsibilities of raising four children, Reyes began experiencing severe physical symptoms. Despite maintaining an active lifestyle that included running four miles regularly, she suffered from intense bloating, extreme exhaustion, frequent fevers, and persistent nausea.

Reyes, now 43 and based in Alvin, Texas, recalls the pain being so severe she initially feared an ovary had ruptured. Between August and October 2015, she sought emergency care four times. During these visits, medical staff attributed her condition to colitis, enteritis, and a microperforation, treating her with antibiotics and even utilizing a PICC line for medication. Throughout this period, she was repeatedly told that colon cancer was unlikely, with some medical professionals citing her age and her Hispanic heritage as reasons to rule out the disease.

The Turning Point

The situation reached a breaking point in October 2015. After failing to get relief through standard ER visits and facing a waitlist for a gastroenterologist, Reyes returned to the emergency room for a fifth time. An ultrasound finally revealed the reality: a tumor had completely obstructed her transverse colon. She underwent emergency surgery the following morning to remove the mass.

Even after the surgery, the initial outlook provided by her surgeon was optimistic, with the doctor suggesting that her youth and ethnicity made a cancer diagnosis improbable. However, pathology reports confirmed a stage 3B colon cancer diagnosis just one week later. While the news was frightening, Reyes described feeling a sense of relief, as it finally provided an explanation for the three months of suffering she had endured.

Navigating Treatment and Family

Initially, Reyes and her husband attempted to shield their children—then aged 4 to 16—from the severity of the situation. They hoped to frame her treatment as a brief, month-long trip. This plan became impossible once her oncologist determined that the cancer had spread through the muscular wall of her colon and into her lymph nodes, necessitating 12 rounds of chemotherapy over six months.

Reyes endured significant side effects, including severe fatigue, swelling, and nausea. Throughout her treatment, she intentionally avoided researching her prognosis online, a choice she credits with helping her maintain peace of mind. Today, more than a decade later, she remains cancer-free, though she continues to manage lingering effects such as neuropathy in her extremities.

Advocacy and Awareness

Reyes’ experience prompted her to urge her brother to seek a screening despite him being under the recommended age of 45. Her insistence proved vital; he was also diagnosed with colon cancer and has since successfully undergone surgery and remains cancer-free.

Reflecting on her journey, Reyes noted the lack of support she felt during her initial diagnosis, stating she wished she had found advocates to guide her through the process. Today, she is an active member of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance’s “Never Too Young” task force. She focuses much of her advocacy on the Spanish-speaking community, aiming to bridge the gap in awareness and ensure that others do not face the same dismissals she encountered when seeking medical help.

Source: businessinsider.com