Camilla Jessen
The warning sign one man overlooked before diagnosis.
A man in his mid-20s has shared how he ignored an early symptom that later proved to be life-threatening.
David Lyon from Pennsylvania was just 26 when he first noticed something unusual. Speaking to Today, he said: “When I first noticed the symptoms, cancer was the last thing on my mind.”
Like many young people, he did not consider himself at risk. Even when he saw blood after using the bathroom, he dismissed it.
“I was seeing red when I would go to the bathroom. And I didn’t think much of it,” Lyon told Today. “I kind of wrote it off…”
Symptoms worsen fast
Lyon initially believed the bleeding might have been caused by a minor injury at work. “I kind of wrote it off because I worked in a sheet metal shop, and I didn’t know if maybe I had a piece of metal on my finger and it scratched something.”
However, his condition quickly deteriorated. Severe abdominal pain soon followed, leaving him unable to stand upright.
A colonoscopy later revealed a tumour, and further scans showed the disease had spread to his liver. He was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.
Doctors described his case as unusual due to his age. According to Dr Bassam Estfan, quoted by Today, patients in their 20s rarely develop this type of cancer without a genetic link.
“I quickly got a scan done and they found the cancer had already metastasized to my liver. It was so aggressive,” Lyon told People. “The doctors didn’t know what to think because I was so young.”
Reacting to the diagnosis, Lyon said: “I was mad. Like I just saw red. I didn’t feel sad, I didn’t feel anything, I just felt mad.”
He chose not to learn the full details of his condition for several years, leaving that information to his mother while he focused on staying active through treatment.
Surgery in 2022 removed the tumor and affected lymph nodes. As the cancer had spread, he later underwent a liver transplant in 2024. Advances in treatment have made such procedures more viable for certain patients.
Now 31, Lyon is cancer-free, with doctors describing his outlook as strong.
The NHS advises seeking medical advice for symptoms such as rectal bleeding, changes in bowel habits, persistent abdominal pain, fatigue or unexplained weight loss.
Sources: Today, People, NHS.
