Chris Kirt was diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 31 and is now raising awareness about symptoms young people often dismiss that he experienced before his diagnosis
A man is urging people to pay close attention to their toilet habits, after five seemingly harmless symptoms he experienced turned out to be early warning signs of colon cancer.
Chris Kirt was only 31 years old when he received his colon cancer diagnosis, but the journey to that point was far from straightforward. He has previously spoken about his frustration after experiencing significant delays in getting his health concerns properly investigated. This prompted him to book a private healthcare screening, following long waits in receiving his NHS stool test results. During the private screening, medics discovered a five-centimetre tumour in his descending colon.
Two months later, he had surgery to have the tumour removed. He then faced another four-week wait before receiving the welcome news that he was officially cancer free, just days before Christmas, which he was able to celebrate at home with his fiancée and their baby daughter.
Chris is now campaigning to raise awareness about colon cancer having amassed thousands of followers on TikTok by documenting his journey with the disease and encouraging others to take any warning signs seriously. In one of his videos, he detailed the symptoms of colon cancer he’d noticed before receiving his diagnosis.
“Colon cancer warning signs I had at just 31,” he captioned the video, before revealing five signs of colon cancer he’d experienced prior to his diagnosis.
Falling asleep unexpectedly
Chris first noticed that he was frequently dozing off on the sofa after returning from work, a habit he hadn’t previously had.
Bowel Cancer UK states that one of the potential signs of colon cancer is an unexplained persistent feeling of fatigue. This can often be due to iron-deficiency anaemia resulting from blood loss in the bowel, which decreases the number of red blood cells carrying oxygen.
However, it’s important to note that tiredness and fatigue are not exclusive symptoms of colon cancer and could have several other causes.
Night sweats
Chris also experienced night sweats, episodes of excessive perspiration during sleep that left him soaked.
Night sweats can be an indicator of colon cancer, especially in its advanced stages, according to the NHS. They often accompany other symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, chronic fatigue, abdominal pain, and changes in bowel habits.
While night sweats alone are not a definitive sign of cancer, persistent and soaking night sweats combined with other warning signs should prompt a visit to the doctor for further investigation.
Unsatisfactory toilet visits
Thirdly, Chris mentioned that he often didn’t feel empty after using the toilet, which could potentially be another symptom of colon cancer.
Bowel Cancer UK has issued a warning that any change in your bowel habits could be a sign of something serious and should prompt a visit to the doctor. This could include going to the toilet more or less frequently, experiencing diarrhoea or constipation, or noticing changes that come and go.
Another symptom to look out for is persistent pain or a lump in your stomach that doesn’t disappear, which could indicate colon cancer.
Sudden urged to use the toilet
Chris, who experienced these symptoms, also noticed a sudden urge to use the toilet. While this might not seem like a major concern on its own, the NHS suggests it could be another sign of colon cancer, particularly if you’re experiencing other symptoms.
This constant or sudden need to have a bowel movement, or feeling like you haven’t fully emptied your bowels, can often be due to a tumour in the rectum or colon.
Bloody stool
Lastly, Chris emphasised the importance of taking bloody stools seriously, as this was another symptom he had of colon cancer. Blood in the stool can appear as bright red or dark, tarry streaks.
Bright red blood typically indicates bleeding in the rectum or colon. While it’s not exclusively a sign of colon cancer, it’s definitely something you should discuss with your doctor.
It’s crucial to understand that having any of these symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean you have bowel cancer, as there could be numerous other explanations. Nevertheless, the NHS strongly advises getting in touch with your GP if you’re experiencing any of these signs.
