I was diagnosed at age 41 with colorectal cancer. My GP had ignored my complaints about it a year earlier, and dismissed it (without a rectal exam) as "probably

I was diagnosed at age 41 with colorectal cancer. My GP had ignored my complaints about it a year earlier, and dismissed it (without a rectal exam) as "probably hemorrhoids." A year later, he thought better of it and sent me for a consult with a specialist who instantly spotted a 5cm mass in my rectum. A year later, while doing a followup from my surgery, I mentioned how cavalier my GP was to the surgeon who saved my life. He said that many doctors don't really think of colon cancer for anyone under 50 unless there's a family history. That was 15 years ago, and the medical community has generally understood that colorectal cancer can occur far earlier than previously expected.