When Tahlia Read started to experience stomach pain and cramping, she wasn’t too worried. 

“The pain was similar to that of period pain; less intense but more persistent. I was also frequenting the toilet more often, but it was nothing overly concerning,” she says.

“I put it down to lactose intolerance or a change in hormones. I decided to remove my implanon contraception to see if my hormones were playing a part, however nothing changed.”

When the then 27 year old finally went to the doctor, he told her that it sounded like gastro and suggested she go home to rest. Unhappy with the response, Read pushed for blood tests.

“I will never forget him asking me ‘what test would you like me to do?”. I was infuriated,” she says. “I said ‘how about an intolerance test’, so he tested for celiac disease and inflammatory markers. An issue with my bowel never even crossed my mind. I ended up in ED before the blood results came back.”

After an ovary ultrasound and a pregnancy test at Hollywood Private Hospital failed to provide answers, Read chose to have an exploratory procedure.

“They initially thought it was an ovarian cyst, but later found slight inflammation on my appendix,” Read says. “However, they were not certain it was appendicitis. Doctors were debating over treating it with antibiotics or surgery,” she says.

Read was told she would most likely need bowel surgery to prevent the potential spread of the tumour.

“I didn’t find this out until weeks later, after they put the appendix under a microscope – it was extremely confusing and scary,” she says. “I remember thinking ‘this is unfair, I’m too young to have a tumour and need bowel surgery’.”

Read is one of an increasing number of younger Australians being diagnosed with colorectal or bowel cancer.

According to Bowel Cancer Australia, there were 15,542 new cases in 2024 compared to 14,534 cases in 2020, making it the country’s fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer. 

Figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Wellbeing show the number of new cases from colorectal cancer have been increasing gradually since 2000.

A spokesperson from Cancer Council says it is difficult to determine early symptoms of colorectal cancer in both young and older people.

“Colorectal cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Australia, it affects men and women and is the second leading cause of cancer death,” she says.

“The majority of colorectal cancers are diagnosed in people aged 50 years or older, however, the incidence of colorectal cancer in those under 50 has increased.”

This upward trend prompted the Australian Government in July 2024 to lower eligibility for the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) from 50 to 45 years.

The spokesperson says while more research needs to be done to determine the cause of colorectal cancer, being aware of what we eat is important. 

“There is significant evidence to suggest that certain factors increase the risk of colorectal cancer including age, family history, inflammatory bowel disease, poor diet, physical inactivity, alcohol, obesity, smoking,” she says. “Some of these risk factors could be seen as lifestyle factors. As the prevalence of these behaviours increases, colorectal cancer risk increases.”

Professor of surgery Paul McMurrick, who is also chairman of not-for-profit advocacy group Let’s Beat Bowel Cancer, says it can be difficult to determine what is causing bowel issues in young people.

There are multiple tests that can detect bowel cancer but McMurrick says the faecal immunochemical test (FIT)  is the most effective for the average person. This is the test sent home for free as part of the national screening program if you are over 45.  If you are under the age limit , you can ask your GP to arrange a faecal occult blood test (FOBT) or colonscopy in the first instance.

“Screening in younger adults remains a challenge,” McMurrick says. “The aim of screening is to reduce incidence, morbidity and mortality of a specified health condition by investigating patients with no symptoms.”

The perception that people aged between 20 and 30 years don’t need to be screened for bowel cancer often leads to a late diagnosis. 

“Any patient is at risk of bowel cancer, regardless of age,” McMurrick says.

The four main symptoms potentially indicative of bowel cancer are per rectum or PR  bleeding, change in bowel habit, weight loss and abdominal pain.

The good news is, if detected and treated early, bowel cancer has a high survival rate. According to Bowel Cancer Australia, 99 percent of cases can be treated successfully when detected at the earliest stage.

Now fully recovered, Read is grateful she pushed for more tests and urges other young people to get checked even if they experience small symptoms or are brushed off by a doctor. 

“I think the symptoms are especially troubling for girls, as it can be easily overlooked as ‘girl problems’,” she says. “I also feel that as a young person it’s easier to overlook or push through symptoms and pain and perhaps not seek help early enough. The only advice I can give is seek help early and advocate for yourself if something doesn’t feel normal.”