Tulsa Doctors Stress Importance Of Early Colon Cancer Detection Amid Rising Death Rates

The National Cancer Institute says that younger adults aged 20 to 49 are dying more from colon cancer than from any other type of cancer.

This new data is driving the efforts of survivors in the Tulsa area who want to emphasize that screenings can make a difference.

Dana Jones is a wife and mother who had been healthy her entire life until she started experiencing severe constipation and stomach pain. At the age of her early 40s, she was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer that had spread to her liver. Dana opted for a life-altering operation and participated in a clinical trial at OU Health.

Her treatment included chemotherapy, radiation, and liver surgery. Despite some setbacks, her condition improved dramatically, and her scans now show no active cancer.

Dana wants to share her story and encourage others to advocate for themselves if something doesn't feel right to them.

“Get checks, get scans, listen to your body, and just get in the network that is going to provide you help because it’s very curable and in the early stages,” Jones said.

Dr. Susanna Ulahannan with OU Health says people should also maintain a healthy diet with lots of fiber, limit processed food, exercise frequently, and get screened early.