Navigating a Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis at a Young Age

Melissa Ursini, diagnosed with colorectal cancer at 37 after misdiagnoses, shared her experience to highlight the need for early screening and awareness.

In honor of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, Melissa Ursini, of Santa Clarita, California, sat down for an interview with CURE to discuss her experience with a colorectal cancer diagnosis at age 37.

According to City of Hope, located in Duarte, California, Ursini was diagnosed after multiple misdiagnosis, unintended weight loss, loss of appetite, blood in the stool and frequent vomiting, raising many questions. One of which includes, what caused a diagnosis of colon cancer in such a young individual?

Ursini delved deeper into this topic, imparting her knowledge on the necessity of getting screened for colorectal cancer and barriers to care for younger patients, as well as shared what led to her diagnosis.

Melissa Ursini and others at Walk for Hope.

Additionally, you can catch Ursini’s insights on her experience with colorectal cancer, as well as facts and tips, in her recent Instagram Takeover with CURE!

CURE: Many young adults don't consider themselves at risk for colon cancer because of something like their age. What would you say to those who believe screening is only necessary for older individuals?

Ursini: Actually, I was one of those people! I was 37 years old when I was diagnosed. I for sure thought that colon cancer was only for ‘old people’ because you always hear, “Go get your colonoscopy at 65,” for example, and I was 37. I was still very young and healthy. I was exercising multiple times a day, and so, it was really shocking that I got colon cancer.

My grandfather had colon cancer, so [I thought of] grandparents and stuff [getting the disease, not young people], but I think that is [something] people are becoming more aware of. I know that there's been an increase of [young] people being diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the last 10 years. It is up [approximately] 2.4%, so it's something I think we need to talk to young people about. Maybe doctors can talk to them during their regular physicals about their digestion, what that looks like, what their bowel movements look like, etc.

In your experience, what barriers prevent younger patients from being taken seriously when they present with symptoms?

Honestly, it was hard as a patient having to go through that. I think a lot of it is our own education, as well as the doctor's education. I mean, doctors are great, but I think a lot of times we go to some doctors, and they are not the experts, right? We go to our primary care doctor, and they just take care of the whole body, or we go to an emergency room [ER]. I was dismissed by multiple ER [many times]. They were so concentrated on the trauma and stuff, but maybe they don't look at those signs of what you should be looking for.

Even as a young person, you Google stuff, and WebMD is going to come up and say that you've got five different things. I just think what we need to do is make sure we're aware of the symptoms that we should look for and then verbalize those symptoms to the provider you're talking to. I didn't verbalize it my first visit I went to a variety of different doctors.

Melissa Ursini on IV.

Can you share your story, and how you were ultimately diagnosed with colon cancer?

Originally, when I was starting to have some of the pains, I thought it was more with my reproductive system, so I went to my gynecologist thinking, “Oh, I must have a cyst or something. There's something going on down there. I'm a female. I'm 37. I'm still having my period regularly. Maybe that's it.”

So, when I went there, she was very much like, 'I don't know if this is going to be in that area. It could be gastrointestinal.' We did an ultrasound, a Pap smear, and everything came back normal, so she gave me a recommendation for a gastrointestinal doctor. The gastrointestinal doctor would have caught it, but I didn't have the symptoms that normally are associated with colon cancer, like bloody stool. I wasn't having, or I didn't even think about things like a change in your bowel movements.

A couple years before, I had a situation where I would eat greasy foods, and then next thing I know, I had to run to the bathroom and go to the bathroom right away, and I emptied everything out. I didn't think of that until later on, when I'm in the hospital. I'm like, 'How did I miss these signs?' And my body was probably telling me years before that I had this going on, but I thought it was because I was a little overweight and I was eating bad, and I just changed my diet, and things kind of got better. When my gastrointestinal doctor asked me the questions, I never saw bloody stool. Every time I did see blood, I thought it was because of my period, right?

She didn't fully dismiss me, as she did order a CT scan, but between that CT scan with contrast and when she ordered it and when I had an appointment, I actually had dental work. I had gotten an antibiotic, and it caused my stomach to be uncomfortable, sending me to urgent care. I think what sucked is that I didn't end up going to that CT scan, because I had a CT scan done [when I went to urgent care], and they didn't do it with contrast.

Melissa Ursini and dog.

When the original doctor came in, I had been sick for a couple days, not eating because I thought it was an allergic reaction to amoxicillin. His response to me was. “You're constipated. I know what's wrong with you.” And I said, “I haven't eaten for a couple days. How can I be constipated?” [Ironically], he said, “Well I don't want to give you a CT scan, because you're so young, and it can cause cancer.” So, I asked, “I have one scheduled for Monday. Is there anyone who can just get it done now? I'm really in pain.” I never do this. I never went to the emergency room. I wasn't the best at going and getting my yearly checkups… So, he said, “Okay, I'll give you the CT scan, but I'm not going to do it with contrast, because I don't think you need contrast.” I didn't know the difference. I didn't know that the contrast would illuminate the tumor. When he came back, he said, “Yeah, you have irritable bowel syndrome. But good news, you're not constipated…”

I went back to my gastrointestinal doctor. The doctor didn't question not having the CT scan with contrast and didn't know I was still in pain. I wasn't in as much pain, but then she wanted me to do stool samples, where I take my specimen and get those tested. But after that, I ended up again in the hospital because I just wasn't feeling good. That time, the emergency room doctor said, “I know what it is. It's a parasite.” And that was Fourth of July 2021.

The next thing I know, I took those antibiotics, and then I started throwing up stuff that smelled bad. It was brown and icky. My brother-in-law, who was an emergency room nurse, said, “No, you're coming to my hospital. I drove 45 minutes to his hospital. They found the tumor within an hour, and then I was in the hospital for 10 days. They took the tumor out, and then I was able to get all of my treatments and seen by another doctor at City of Hope, and they took care of it, and they make it so easy.

I think if I had known earlier, when I was with the gastrointestinal doctor, maybe they would have found it easier or earlier.

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