Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month: A Local Woman’s Story and Rising Rates in Younger Adults

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, a time to highlight the importance of screening and early detection. This year, the message is particularly poignant as a local woman, Allison Solomon, shares her story of being diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 37.

A Shocking Diagnosis

Allison Solomon began noticing changes in her body two years ago. When these changes became persistent symptoms, she knew something was wrong. She experienced loss of appetite, stomach cramps, a change in bowel habits and blood in her stool.

“I started just noticing some changes in just my day to day,” Solomon said.

At 37, and with no family history of colon cancer, Solomon didn’t meet the age criteria for routine colonoscopy screening, which typically begins at 45. However, she didn’t ignore her symptoms.

“They said ‘you have a malignancy,’ which was shocking,” Solomon said.

Following her diagnosis in 2024, Solomon underwent a CT scan which confirmed the cancer had not spread. Her physician, Dr. Benjamin Weinberg, a gastrointestinal medical oncologist at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, recommended chemotherapy.

“I had surgery a month later, and then got transitioned over to being Dr. Weinberg’s patient and started chemotherapy later that summer,” she said.

Rising Rates in Younger Adults

Dr. Weinberg and his team are actively researching the increasing incidence of colorectal cancer in younger populations. Colorectal cancer rates are rising rapidly in individuals under 65, with nearly half of new cases now occurring in this age group.

“We’re looking for other explanations, like microbiome within the tumor itself, to try to distinguish, is there some unique quality to early onset colorectal cancer,” Weinberg said.

Researchers are also investigating potential contributing factors linked to birth year, such as early antibiotic exposure or environmental factors like microplastics. “Folks that were born in the ’80s and early ’90s, this is the group that seems to be the most impacted, whether that’s from early antibiotic exposure, microplastics, some other exposure that we haven’t identified yet,” he said.

Solomon’s Advocacy and Current Status

Solomon is now in remission and under close surveillance with frequent tests, and labs. She has also become an advocate for colorectal cancer awareness, sharing her story and supporting organizations like the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. She is supporting the 2026 D.C. ScopeItOut 5K on the National Mall on March 22 with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance.

Misconceptions About Colon Cancer Screening

A recent national survey by MedStar Georgetown University Hospital revealed that over 75% of Americans are unsure about when or how often to get a colonoscopy. Dr. Weinberg emphasizes the importance of screening, stating, “This is something that needs to happen, can’t be ignored.”

The recommended screening age for individuals at normal risk is 45. The survey also found that 40% of people incorrectly believe a family history of the disease is required to start screening after age 45. More than 36% of those eligible for regular screenings have skipped them.

Colonoscopies are not only for screening; they also allow for the removal of precancerous polyps, potentially preventing cancer development or enabling early-stage cancer treatment without surgery. “It does allow the advantages of being able to remove premalignant polyps before they become cancer, as well as early stage colon cancer, sometimes without needing a surgery,” Weinberg said.