Her cancer ‘nightmare’ at 29 reflects trend driving new UCSF clinic

Key Points:

• Megan McNair, diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer at 29 shortly after giving birth, was initially told she had five years to live but has now completed chemotherapy and is cancer-free, though she requires ongoing monitoring.
• UCSF has launched the first West Coast colorectal cancer clinic specifically for young adults, addressing unique challenges such as parenting, work loss, and treatment complications faced by this demographic.
• Colorectal cancer rates in adults aged 20 to 49 have increased significantly from 9.8 to 15.2 cases per 100,000 between 2000 and 2021, making it the leading cause of cancer deaths in this age group as of 2023.
• The rise in early-onset colorectal cancer is linked to multiple factors including increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, sedentary lifestyles, obesity, diabetes, and possible environmental exposures.
• Experts urge young adults to pay attention to symptoms like bowel changes, blood in stool, and unexplained weight loss, and to seek diagnostic colonoscopies promptly, as routine screening typically begins at age 45.