‘Fit & healthy’ man, 39, with bowel cancer who was told symptoms were acid reflux reveals signs to look out for
A "FIT AND HEALTHY" man who was told his bowel cancer was acid reflux has revealed what signs people should look out for.
Matt Best, 39, was misdiagnosed with ulcers and acid reflux - something he put down to a rich diet and "overindulgence" in alcohol.
But when a gym session left the "fit and healthy" Aussie feeling "extremely weak", he rushed to the doctors for a blood test.
The results showed the Brisbane sales manager - who spent his free time walking with wife Amanda and their dog, Kali - was anaemic, which is an early warning sign of bowel cancer often missed by doctors.
"I remember even asking my gastroenterologist at the time jokingly, 'it's not cancer, is it?' And he said 'at your age, highly unlikely'," Matt told .
A colonoscopy check found a 10cm tumour growing across his large intestine and in April 2018, doctors told Matt he had stage 3C bowel cancer.
This meant the cancer had spread to the tissue and lymph nodes surrounding the intestine, but not to any nearby organs.
"I was shocked, confused, numb, I had 4,000 questions," Matt said.
"I remember just staring at a clock and not knowing what was happening."
Matt was 36 at the time and in the prime of his life when doctors rushed him to hospital and removed 30 of his lymph nodes - seven of which were cancerous.
He was put on a six-month course of FOLFOX chemo which brought him into hospital every second Friday and left him feeling a "chronic hangover" of nausea and exhaustion.
He also suffered peripheral neuropathy, which causes pain, numbness and 'pins-and-needles' sensations in the limbs.
'I FELT A CHRONIC HANGOVER'
"I remember at Christmas my brothers thinking it was funny that I would constantly drop my beer bottle because my fingers would twitch from the nerve damage," he said.
The 39-year-old is now cancer-free but said he'll continue having colonoscopies once a year to keep tabs on his stomach health.
"It's been a weird journey and an array of unexpected emotions," Matt said.
"I've never felt so much support in my life and I am truly grateful to every friend and family member."
Matt says it's important young men overcome their discomfort about seeing a doctor and discussing health concerns with friends.
"There's still such awkwardness," he said.
"I try to lighten the mood and tell them a joke I came up with, which is 'When I found out I had bowel cancer, I was gutted….' The response is always the same, only YOU can tell that joke!"
Know the signs:
Bowel cancer is where the disease starts in the large intestines.
It's also referred to as colon or colorectal cancer, because it can also affect the colon and rectum.
Most bowel cancers develop from pre-cancerous growths, called polyps.
Not all will turn cancerous, but if your doctor finds any, they will tend to remove them to prevent cancer.
The five red-flag symptoms of bowel cancer include:
- Bleeding from the back passage, or blood in your poo
- A change in your normal toilet habits - going more frequently for example
- Pain or a lump in your tummy
- Extreme tiredness
- Losing weight
Other signs include:
- Gripping pains in the abdomen
- Feeling bloated
- Constipation and being unable to pass wind
- Being sick
- Feeling like you need to strain - like doing a number two - but after you've been to the loo
Matt said there's no reason to feel ashamed about asking for help.
"If it doesn't feel right, get it checked! Better yet, don't wait and have a regular check-up," he said.
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK and the second biggest killer, according to .
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Over 42,000 Brits are diagnosed every year and at least 16,000 die from it.
Meanwhile, 1 in 15 men and 1 in 18 women will be diagnosed with bowel cancer during their lifetime.