- Katie Couric has advocated for colon cancer awareness since losing her husband to the disease in 1998.
- He was 41 years old and his symptoms like fatigue didn’t stand out as signs of cancer.
- Detecting colon cancer early is key to treatment, and innovations with AI and blood tests can help.
When Katie Couric’s husband, Jay Monahan, was diagnosed with colon cancer at 41 years old it was a complete shock. By the time he was diagnosed it was already stage 4. He died 9 months later, weeks after his 42nd birthday.
“Colon cancer didn’t even cross our minds. He of course had symptoms, and in hindsight, I wish we had known what they were,” Couric told Business Insider.
Monahan had been tired, but that was understandable as a busy lawyer and legal analyst for NBC News, and a parent to their two daughters. That fatigue, and some digestive changes, were vague symptoms of his illness. They’re common early signs of colon cancer that can be easy to miss.
At the time of his diagnosis, in 1997, the recommended age for colonoscopy was 50. Today, it’s 45 — changed in 2021 in a response to a concerning rise of colon cancer among younger people.
Since his death, Couric said, she set herself on a lifelong course to help others catch their colon cancer before it’s too late.
“Two of the worst words in the English language are ‘what if.’ You don’t want to be wondering, ‘What if I had gotten screened?’ when it’s too late,” Couric said. “I hate to be that blunt, but it’s true.”
Couric spoke to BI during Colorectal Awareness Month as part of her partnership with Cologuard Classic by Exact Sciences, a PGA tournament to support patients and caregivers affected by the disease.
After 27 years of advocacy, Couric shared what she now knows about how to spot colon cancer signs early, and new breakthroughs that could transform how people are diagnosed and treated.
Early warning signs of colon cancer to watch out for
The past two decades have shown a disturbing pattern of colon cancer diagnoses showing up more often in people in their 20s, 30s and 40s.
Potential factors like our diets (high in processed foods and red meat), drinking habits, and microplastics could all be driving the rise of colon cancer in younger people.
Couric said she’s grateful that there’s now more awareness of major symptoms of colon cancer, such as:
- Fatigue
- Unintentional weight loss
- Changes in bowel habits
- Blood in stool
One reason colon cancer is misdiagnosed or missed is that symptoms can be vague and attributed to other digestive illnesses.
While the recommended age to start screening for colon cancer was lowered to 45 in 2021, Couric said she finds it “very disturbing” that only about 20% of people between 45 and 49 have been screened.
“If you or someone you know falls into that category, please get your butt to the doctor!” she said.
Before a colonoscopy, you can try an at-home stool test
But don’t wait for a blood test or other future innovation to be ready if you’re worried about your risk now. Colon cancer is very treatable when detected early, so getting screened is crucial.
Colonoscopies are one option, especially for people with known risk factors like a family history of colon cancer or polyps, or digestive diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease.
Another less-invasive option for people with average risk is a stool test, which can be done at home.
“I’ve learned the best test is the one that gets done, so do your research and figure out what works best for you,” Couric said.
She said her advice is to pay attention to anything out of the ordinary, get medical attention, and advocate for yourself at the doctor’s office.
“The important thing is to talk to your doctor and if your doctor isn’t taking either your symptoms or desire to get screened seriously, find another doctor, preferably a gastroenterologist,” Couric said.
2 scientific breakthroughs could help prevent colon cancer
Major scientific breakthroughs such diagnostic blood tests and innovations driven by artificial intelligence could make colon cancer more preventable (and treatable) than ever, Couric said.
“I’m excited to see the capabilities that AI will have on new treatments and screening opportunities,” Couric said.
The FDA approved a first-of-its-kind blood test for colon cancer screening in 2024. It works by detecting warning signs in the blood, such as DNA shed by tumors, although it’s not a substitute for other screening such as colonoscopies.
AI is already being used to further colon cancer research. It can organize datasets so scientists can better understand the difference between healthy and diseased cells, leading to breakthroughs like the “gut atlas,” a map of 1.6 million cells which make up the most comprehensive look at the human digestive system to date.
It could even make screenings more accurate by helping doctors spot polyps and other abnormal growths, although more refining is needed to cut down on AI-related false alarms.
