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A 49-year-old nurse from Sydney experienced severe stomach pains one night and knew immediately that it could be serious. The diagnosis was quick: colorectal cancer. Now she warns others what not to be ignored and tells them when to see a doctor.
Miriam Van Zanten has been working with drug and alcohol addicts for over 25 years. Knowledge and experience helped her quickly make a decision not to ignore the intense pain that appeared in her during the night. She immediately went to the hospital for examination. She suspected a bowel obstruction, but the doctors didn’t have good news for her. It turned out to be colon cancer.
Subsequent research brought bad news, the cancer has spread to the liver and he wasn’t in the third, but in the fourth. “I expected that. I am a nurse. I was well prepared for it » — she said in an interview with 9news.com.au.
Colon cancer. She had minor symptoms that she ignored
Now the nurse admits that she had minor symptoms of colorectal cancer that she did not pay attention to. «When I think about it now, I had very mild constipation, which I attributed to not drinking enough water during the day. When you are a nurse, you don’t have enough time to drink, often you don’t even have time to go to the toilet to pee »- she admitted.
Van Zanten urges anyone with any disturbing symptoms, even minor ones, to see their GP.
To be sure, it is worth buying a home test for fecal occult blood – FOB TEST. Performing such an examination is particularly important in the prevention of colorectal cancer or early detection of the problem, thanks to which appropriate treatment can be introduced quickly and effectively.
Young people also suffer from colon cancer
Prof. Graham Newstead, medical director of the Australian Center for Colorectal Cancer Treatment, emphasizes that first of all, young people need to know the symptoms. “It is important that both GPs and younger people remain vigilant, recognize and promptly check for complaints to rule out bowel cancer as the underlying cause, regardless of age” — said 9news.com.au.
Te symptoms of colon cancer These include blood in the stools, unexplained weight loss, abdominal pain, anemia, and any changes in bowel function.
Miriam Van Zanten is currently undergoing chemotherapy to shrink tumors on the liver so that it can be operated on. Support is provided by her partner and the boss at the drug rehabilitation center where she worked and where funds are raised for her treatment.