BATON ROUGE — Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States. Rates have been rising among younger people for the past two decades.

Doctors say it is important to know the warning signs and not to delay medical treatment

"Historically, colorectal cancer was equally divided along the colon and rectum, but particularly for those with early-onset colorectal cancer — so age less than 50 — we're seeing higher rates of rectal cancer among the younger onset,” Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Derek Ebner said.

Ebner says four key symptoms have been identified for people under 50 who are diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

"Abdominal pain, diarrhea, seeing blood with bowel motions, as well as iron deficiency anemia," Ebner said.

Ebner notes that blood loss after bowel movements, even if not visibly apparent, can lead to low iron levels.

"So if on a blood test, for example, we see a sign of iron deficiency, that would then prompt us to explore further,” Ebner said.

Even though it may be embarrassing, he stresses, “if you have any of those symptoms, you need to share it with a healthcare provider. That way, they can navigate those subsequent steps."

This can lead to early treatment and better outcomes.