
26-Year-Old’s Subtle Symptoms Unmasked a Stage 4 Colon Cancer
Mariana Tata, 26, dismissed bloating and rectal bleeding as hemorrhoids until imaging revealed a large ovarian mass and stage 4 colon cancer with abdominal spread; after surgery to remove reproductive organs and starting chemotherapy, she remains in treatment and is now stable. The diagnosis upended her life plans, with medical costs and disrupted family plans, and she urges others to seek second opinions and act on persistent symptoms early.












