Colon cancer surgeon urges younger adults to take warning signs seriously and get screened

A US-based colorectal surgeon has warned that people under 50 should not dismiss possible symptoms of colorectal cancer and urged those with concerns to obtain a colonoscopy. In an Instagram video that has been viewed more than 410,000 times, Dr. Karen Zaghiyan set out six blunt points she said could save lives.

Dr. Zaghiyan told viewers that feeling well or lacking a family history of bowel cancer does not guarantee safety and that hesitation about testing can delay potentially life-saving diagnosis and treatment. She specifically advised people who are worried or who have received a diagnosis to obtain a colonoscopy.

Colonoscopy is a diagnostic test that examines the inside of the large bowel using a small camera mounted on a long, flexible tube. The procedure allows clinicians to identify and remove polyps that may become cancerous and to detect other abnormalities inside the colon.

Dr. Zaghiyan’s message highlighted several specific realities: a lack of family history does not eliminate risk; being asymptomatic is not a guarantee of health; red-flag symptoms should prompt evaluation; people with inherited bowel conditions or inflammatory bowel disease are at higher risk; polyps found on testing can be precancerous and are often removable; and screening access and age recommendations vary by programme and risk level.

In the United Kingdom, NHS bowel cancer screening offers an at-home test to people aged 50 to 74. The programme was expanded earlier this year to include 50- to 52-year-olds. Those identified as higher risk—because of inherited conditions, a history of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, previously detected polyps, or a strong family history of bowel cancer—are offered colonoscopy rather than the at-home test.

Medical professionals emphasize that early detection improves treatment options and outcomes. Colonoscopy allows clinicians to detect polyps and cancers at earlier stages and, when appropriate, remove precancerous lesions during the same procedure. Public health screening programmes and clinicians typically recommend different approaches based on age and individual risk factors.

Dr. Zaghiyan’s video joins broader efforts by clinicians and health services to raise awareness of colorectal cancer and encourage timely assessment of symptoms. She and other specialists urge anyone with persistent changes in bowel habits, rectal bleeding, unexplained weight loss or persistent abdominal pain to seek medical advice and discuss appropriate testing with their healthcare provider.