A woman who was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer at the start of 2025 has urged people to pay attention to three key symptoms that led her to get a diagnosis
07:00, 11 Jan 2026Updated 07:16, 11 Jan 2026
Bowel cancer can be easier to treat if it’s detected early (stock photo)(Image: MoMo Productions via Getty Images)
Bowel cancer is one of the most common forms of the disease in Britain, and catching it early can significantly improve treatment outcomes. The disease affects any part of the large bowel, including the colon and rectum, with severity varying depending on the tumour’s size, whether it has spread, and the patient’s overall health.
Screening for bowel cancer can detect warning signs at an early stage, potentially making treatment more straightforward. One woman who was diagnosed with colon cancer at just 24 has revealed the three tell-tale signs that prompted her to seek medical advice, ultimately leading to her diagnosis.
Paige Seifert posted a video on TikTok explaining how she was told she had stage three colon cancer – which falls under the broader bowel cancer category – at the start of 2025, aged only 24. Stage three is the second-most serious form of the disease, and means it has spread to nearby tissue and lymph nodes, but hasn’t reached other organs.
Paige outlined three crucial symptoms that convinced her to visit a GP, though she stressed these warning signs don’t automatically indicate cancer and there’s no need to panic if you experience them.
She said: “I want to preface this by saying that just because you have all three of these symptoms does not mean you have colon cancer. In fact, statistically speaking, you probably don’t. These symptoms are linked to things like IBS, coeliac, and a number of other things. So don’t freak out, I’m just explaining my personal story.”
1. Blood in the stool
Spotting blood in your poo is among the most prevalent warning signs of bowel cancers, including colon cancer. For Paige, this symptom was the clearest indication that something was amiss with her health, prompting her to seek medical attention.
She explained: “A lot of people ask what it looked like, the frequency, all the jazz. But if you’re seeing blood in your stool [at all], that’s your number one [sign to] go see a doctor. Of course, it can be chalked up to [something like] haemorrhoids, and that’s what the first four doctors I saw told me that it was, but it’s better to have a doctor confirm that.”
2. Fatigue
Exhaustion can signal countless conditions, ranging from vitamin deficiencies and lifestyle factors to cancer, meaning tiredness alone might not warrant a diagnosis. However, if you experience persistent fatigue alongside other symptoms, medical consultation becomes essential.
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Paige described her experience: “I know everyone in this day and age is fatigued, but cancer fatigue is a whole other level. I’m not the kind of person who can fall asleep in the middle of the day or take naps, but my eyes were slamming shut all the time. It didn’t matter if I got 12 hours of sleep; I was just exhausted.”
3. Stomach discomfort
Bowel cancers can affect your digestive system, meaning tummy troubles are fairly typical. The severity can differ, and these signs might also indicate various other ailments and conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and food intolerances. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to have these symptoms examined to determine the underlying cause.
Paige explained: “I’m not going to go into depth here, as I honestly can’t remember what it felt like, and as a woman, this can be chalked up to a million different things, just like the rest of these symptoms. But all of these combined just made me feel like something had to be wrong.”
She concluded her video by stressing that she consulted four separate doctors before receiving her actual diagnosis, emphasising the “main message” she hopes people take away: if you sense something isn’t right with your body, you must “advocate for yourself” and persist in seeking answers.
Bowel cancer symptoms
The NHS lists the following as potential symptoms of bowel cancer:
- Changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you
- Needing to poo more or less often than usual for you
- Blood in your poo, which may look red or black
- Bleeding from your bottom
- Often feeling like you need to poo, even if you’ve just been to the toilet
- Tummy pain
- A lump in your tummy
- Bloating
- Losing weight without trying
- Feeling very tired or short of breath – these are signs of anaemia, which can be caused by bowel cancer
When to see a GP
You should book an appointment with a GP if you have experienced any symptoms of bowel cancer for three weeks or more. However, if your stools are black or dark red, or if you have bloody diarrhoea, you should dial 111 for an emergency appointment.
Dial 999 or head to A&E if you’re experiencing continuous bleeding from your backside, or if there’s a significant amount of blood, for instance, if the toilet water turns red or you notice large blood clots. For further information, visit the NHS website.