Surveillance for Colorectal Cancer: 90 Real Stories
90 stories match colorectal cancer and surveillance. 79 of them mention surgery.
Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Joanna’s Survivor Story
Joanna developed rectal bleeding, stomachaches, bloating, and food-related discomfort that worsened over about 1.5 years. Because she was young and active, cancer was not initially discussed. She first contacted her gynecologist, then waited months for a…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Catherine’s Patient Story
Catherine was 10 weeks pregnant when persistent rectal bleeding, bloating, and trouble going to the bathroom led to sigmoidoscopy. The procedure found a rectal tumor. Further CT, MRI, and biopsy workup showed Stage III rectal cancer: it had reached lymph…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Jackie’s Patient Story
Jackie was diagnosed with Stage IIIB rectal cancer after constant blood in her stool and worsening constipation led to colonoscopy. CT imaging raised concern for a liver spot, but that finding was later considered nothing. Genetic testing then showed Lynch…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Maria’s Survivor Story
Maria’s Stage IIIC rectal cancer was first mistaken for other problems. She was tired, lost about 20 pounds, and had a high pulse during a physical for maritime work. Doctors found a bladder infection that would not clear, then later suspected appendicitis…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Shelley’s Survivor Story
Shelley was 49 when a planned endoscopy and colonoscopy unexpectedly found colon cancer. She had not gone in expecting cancer, but her gastroenterologist quickly arranged blood work, CT imaging, and a next-day surgical appointment. The tumor was in the…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Lawrence’s Survivor Story
Lawrence Henry, a retired Army colonel, was diagnosed with Stage 3C colon cancer in 2021 at age 50 after worsening stomach pain, blood in his stool and a feeling of fullness after bowel movements led to colonoscopy. He was treated locally with surgery…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Meagan’s Survivor Story
Meagan was 24, student teaching, and focused on starting her adult life when she noticed small amounts of blood in her stool in August 2024. She assumed it was probably hemorrhoids because the bleeding was not constant or heavy. By February 2025, she brought…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Kalei’s Patient Story
Kalei first noticed bowel changes that seemed small: going more often, mucus or tissue in the stool, stomach pain, sharp pains, rectal bleeding, and then blood clots. Doctors initially reassured her because her blood work was normal, she was not anemic, and…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Joe’s Patient Story
Joe never had blood in his stool. His warning signs were fatigue, loss of appetite, feeling generally off, and then severe shoulder, back, stomach, and liver-area pain. Because he worked long hours in the restaurant industry, the fatigue was easy to explain…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Amber’s Survivor Story
Amber Mike was 44 when bleeding after earlier fibroid surgery led her gynecologist to recommend a colonoscopy. She delayed the appointment at first because she was busy traveling for work, but in May 2023 the colonoscopy found a tumor and she was diagnosed…
Read this storyStage I Colorectal Cancer: Timothy’s Survivor Story
Timothy Beckner was 43 and feeling healthy when an unexpected illness led to a colon cancer diagnosis. After returning from a family vacation in May 2025, he developed stomach issues and a fever. Emergency evaluation found salmonella and mild diverticulitis…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: John’s Survivor Story
John Murray was 51 when an at-home colorectal cancer screening test came back negative. Over the following years, he had bleeding and pain that he assumed were hemorrhoids. By February 2025, at age 56, he finally scheduled a colonoscopy. The test and…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Phil’s Survivor Story
Phil Bosanko was 48 and working for the Transportation Security Administration when blood spotting led to his first colonoscopy in early 2006. The test showed colon cancer, and surgery removed 9 inches of colon. Phil and his wife initially thought the cancer…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Maria’s Patient Story
Maria was 27 when she shared a cancer history that began in infancy. She had Wilms tumor, a kidney cancer, at 15 months old. Her treatment included radiation under anesthesia, and feeding problems led to a G-tube that stayed in place for 12 years. She later…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Briana’s Survivor Story
Briana was 31, active outdoors, and working in the environmental sector when symptoms began about 10 months before diagnosis. Mild constipation became repeated episodes of nausea, vomiting, lower-left abdominal pain, anemia, and worsening bowel problems. She…
Read this storyStage III MSI-High Colorectal Cancer: Tommy’s Survivor Story
Tommy Allen was 57 when severe stomach pain and bright red blood in his stool led to a colon cancer diagnosis. He first had surgery in June 2019 near home in Alabama, but the surgeon could not remove all the cancer because the tumor was wrapped around…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Kalei’s Patient Story
Kalei was 28 and raising 2 young daughters when bowel changes, strange tissue in her stool, blood, clots, and cramping made her push for answers. A full colonoscopy found a mass growing through the rectal wall, and pathology confirmed rectal cancer. Her care…
Read this storyStage II Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Ali’s Survivor Story
Ali was 32 and 25 weeks pregnant when worsening rectal bleeding led to a flexible sigmoidoscopy. She had been bloated for months and initially thought bleeding might be hemorrhoids, but the scope found a rectal mass. Biopsy confirmed adenocarcinoma, and she…
Read this storyStage I Colorectal Cancer: Jessica’s Survivor Story
Jessica was diagnosed with Lynch syndrome in February 2023 after genetic testing connected to family-planning discussions and a strong family cancer history. That result became crucial when bowel symptoms worsened. She had constipation, abdominal pain, blood…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Dan’s Survivor Story
Dan Trombley was 37, a Navy chief warrant officer, when unusual fatigue and low blood counts led to a colonoscopy in 2020. At first, doctors thought the colon tumor would be straightforward to treat. A CT scan 2 weeks later changed that: he had Stage IV colon…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Ian’s Survivor Story
Ian was 38 when unusual fatigue and blood in his stool led him to the emergency room in late November 2022. His wife and sister pushed him to act quickly, and the ER doctor took the symptoms seriously. A CT scan showed a mass or narrowing in the colon. When a…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Jackson’s Survivor Story
Jackson was 2 days away from turning 26 and 3 weeks away from the bar exam when abdominal pain, vomiting, and dehydration sent him to the emergency room on July 3, 2024. A CT scan showed narrowing in the colon and concern for a tumor. He had an emergency…
Read this storyStage I Colorectal Cancer: Monica’s Survivor Story
Monica Dean was 46, a San Diego news anchor, and a mother of 3 when a routine first colonoscopy changed her life. She felt healthy, had no symptoms, and did not have an immediate family history of colorectal cancer. A conversation with someone who regretted…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Chloe’s Survivor Story
Chloe’s Stage III colon cancer was found in early 2024 after symptoms that kept getting worse. She had bloating and stomach problems, then weight loss, fatigue, lack of appetite, and abdominal swelling. Because she already had anemia, some symptoms were first…
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