20-year-old with months of stomach pain diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer

Katie Davis, then 20 and a college junior, began feeling waves of intense stomach pain that were sporadic and easy to ignore. "It was on and off, it would come in waves," she said; the pain sometimes lasted only a few minutes or even a few seconds but grew more severe over time.

An urgent-care visit suggested a possible ovarian cyst, but after she developed chills and nausea her ultrasound and CAT scan showed an inflamed colon and free fluid, raising concerns about infection, trauma, or cancer. Doctors considered Crohn's or ulcerative colitis and scheduled a colonoscopy; the procedure doctor later told Davis and her mother he was "pretty positive" the mass was cancerous, and she was diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer.

Davis had surgery and began chemotherapy, but severe side effects — extreme fatigue, nausea, neuropathy and episodes of vision loss — forced a change to oral-only medication, extending her treatment from three to six months. She tried to keep attending classes and work as much as she could while undergoing therapy.

colon cancer, stage 2, stomach pain, colonoscopy, chemotherapy, oral medication, neuropathy, vision loss, ultrasound, cat scan