Fitness influencer gets candid out about having stage 4 colon cancer (2024)

Maria Kang has never been one for keeping quiet. The Sacramento-based fitness influencer and mother of three has gone viral several times—first a little over a decade ago, when she posted a super-fit photo of herself in workout gear, surrounded by her three kids, and captioned it, “What’s your excuse?”

The post quickly racked up 16 million views and triggered endless ire from women who took umbrage over what they saw as a body-shaming attack. Kang was called obnoxious, a bully, an idiot. But it only fueled her fire, catapulting her into years of frenzied health-and-wellness entrepreneurism—she owns a collection of nursing homes, runs the organizations Fitness Without Borders and No Excuse Mom (with spinoffs including calendars and a book) and has recently become a breathwork instructor. And the media moments have continued, as she’s spoken candidly about everything from removing her breast implants to the dissolution of her marriage.

Now she’s raising her voice about a major life update: She’s been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.

“I was thinking I’d never, ever talk about this,” Kang, 43, tells Fortune (though she’s shared the news on social media and her blog). “But I want to create awareness that it could happen to anyone … I was the symbol of health and wellness.”

She says she spent a year believing her digestive issues, anemia, and abdominal pain were symptoms of something benign, like hemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and doesn’t want others to make the same mistake. When her doctor discovered she had a low iron count he ordered a CT scan, which showed a mass. A colonoscopy and biopsy confirmed it was cancer, which had already spread to a lymph node, making it stage 4.

“You go through a range of emotions, and there was a part like, ‘Why me? I did everything. I meditate. I have no anger toward anybody. You start to get angry … but then you realize you’re not alone.”

That’s truer than ever, in fact, as rates of colorectal cancer have been rising rapidly for people under 50, even as rates are declining in people over 65, according to a report that the American Cancer Society published in January. (Rates have even been rising in kids and teens, according to just-released data.)

“We do not know exactly what is causing this spike in colorectalcancercases in young people,” Dr. James McCormick, system chief of colonand rectal surgery for Pittsburgh’s Allegheny Health Network, tells Fortune. “While there are people who have a genetic predisposition to developing colorectalcancer,that does not explain the situation at hand.This must be caused by some environmental or dietary or lifestyle factors—or perhaps most likely a combination of all three.” That includes the air we breathe and the water we drink, he says, adding that known risk factors include “all the hallmarks of a Western diet,” such as high animal fat and processed meat intake and low fiber intake, as well as obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.

So, what about Kang and others like her?

“It is important to note though that I have seen many young patients who come into my office and report consuming a healthy diet and have maintained a highly active lifestyle and a healthy weight but still developed colorectalcancerin their 20s and 30s despite these intentional efforts,” says McCormick.

In other words, it can be a crapshoot.

Understanding colorectal cancer symptoms

The list of symptoms that are typically attributed to colorectalcancer, McCormick says,“are a change in your bowel habits, bleeding, fatigue, abdominal pain, bloating, or unintentional weight loss.” Bleeding and anemia—both of which Kang experienced—as well as unintentional weight loss, he adds, “always need to be evaluated.”

Regarding the other signs, he says, it’s true that many people experience abdominal pain, bloating, and fatigue and attribute it to IBS or other benign causes.But while doctors were comfortable making diagnoses of IBS and hemorrhoids in healthy young people in the absence of family colon cancer history 20 years ago, “not anymore,” he says, due to the incidence in that group doubling over that time.

“Be careful,” McCormick advises. “You cannot diagnose hemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome at home based upon descriptions found on the internet. The truth is irritable bowel syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion—meaning that we cannot make the diagnosis without ruling out more ominous diagnoses—and the things that we’re excluding are things likecoloncancerand inflammatory bowel disease.”

So, when is it important to get checked? Besides bleeding, anemia, and unintentional weight loss, he advises, “I think the most important differentiator is change—change in bowel habits, change in pain, change in bloating, and fatigue that hangs on.Pay attention to what is ‘normal’ for you and take notice if this changes.”If that persists for more than a few weeks then get checked, he suggests, and insist upon getting acolonoscopy.

Getting a handle on prevention

Preventative colonoscopies, currently recommended to begin at age 45 in the absence of major risk factors or symptoms, are the “gold standard,” McCormick says, as it allows removal of precancerous lesions and nip the cancer development in the bud. But alternatives, including stool testing in the form of an FIT test or Cologuard, are great options—as long as you follow up with a colonoscopy if results are positive. “But the most important thing is that people get something done to screen,” he says.

More advice from the doctor, is to focus on what you have control over: Eat a high-fiber diet with lots of fresh fruits and leafy green vegetables; minimize red and processed meats as well as alcohol; stick to nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, and chicken for protein sources; exercise 30 minutes 4 to 5 times a week at minimum; maintain a healthy weight; know your body and be vigilant. “Do not ignore symptoms and insist on a colonoscopy,” he stresses, “regardless of your age.”

Kang seconds that—and adds a bit of her own wisdom, too.

One out of every two women is going to get cancer, and we keep thinking, ‘If I do that, if I do this, I’m not going to get it.’ But sometimes it doesn’t matter how young you are, or healthy,” she says. “I don’t want to create fear, I want to create awareness that it is possible. So, I want everyone to live their best life, be joyful, be happy. Live the life you want to live today.”

More on colorectal cancer:

  • Colorectal cancer cases have tripled in teens—and jumped by 500% in kids. What you need to know
  • CT colonography: What to know about virtual colonoscopy Mark Cuban says saves time, money
  • Katie Couric says too many people think colorectal cancer is a man’s disease. She’s imploring women to get potential lifesaving screenings

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Fitness influencer gets candid out about having stage 4 colon cancer (2024)

FAQs

Has anyone ever recovered from stage 4 colon cancer? ›

The 5-year relative survival rate for stage 4 colon cancer that has spread to other parts of the body is about 13% . However, other factors, such as the chosen treatment methods and the person's overall health, contribute to life expectancy.

What is the average lifespan for Stage 4 colon cancer? ›

Treatment of stage IV colon cancer is mostly palliative and its median survival is reported to be approximately 9 months with best supportive care. With 5-FU/LV, median survival improved to 12 months, and with combination 5-FU/LV plus irinotecan or oxaliplatin it is reported to be between 14 and 19 months.

What is the new treatment for Stage 4 colon cancer? ›

In January 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the combination of two targeted drugs, tucatinib (Tukysa) and trastuzumab (Herceptin) for people with advanced colorectal cancer that produces an excess amount of a protein called HER2.

Can you go into remission with stage 4 colon cancer? ›

A cure where the cancer is totally eradicated and will never return is rare at stage 4. However, remission, where symptoms are reduced or gone for a time, is possible.

Is chemo worth it for stage 4 colon cancer? ›

Chemotherapy for advanced bowel cancer can relieve symptoms. It can also control the cancer and improve your quality of life for a time. But the treatment on its own can't cure the disease. You might have chemotherapy before surgery to remove cancer that has spread to your liver.

Is Stage 4 colon cancer always terminal? ›

Stage 4. Around 10 out of 100 people (around 10%) with stage 4 bowel cancer (also called Dukes' D) will survive their cancer for 5 years or more after they're diagnosed.

How painful is stage 4 colon cancer? ›

Pain could feel like abdominal aching or cramping that does not go away. You may also have diarrhea, constipation, or a feeling that your bowel does not empty completely. In some cases, colon cancer can cause persistent pain in the lower back.

What is the last stage of colon cancer before death? ›

However, there are certain signs that death is approaching. Progressive symptoms can include increasing lethargy, decreasing appetite, changes in mental state, and profound weakness.

What is the breakthrough of colon cancer in 2024? ›

The personalized immunotherapy shrank tumors in some patients and was able to keep the tumors from regrowing for up to seven months. The findings were published July 11, 2024, in Nature Medicine.

How hard is it to beat stage 4 colon cancer? ›

Stage IV colon cancer has a relative 5-year survival rate of about 14%. This means that about 14% of people with stage IV colon cancer are likely to still be alive 5 years after they are diagnosed. But you're not a number.

What stage of colon cancer requires a colostomy bag? ›

What stage of colon cancer requires a colostomy bag? Most people with colon cancer don't need a permanent colostomy bag at all stages. One may be needed if colon cancer affects the function of the anus. However, 80-90% of patients have surgical options to remove cancer without a colostomy.

Has anyone been saved from stage 4 cancer? ›

Stage IV lung cancer survivor: Targeted therapy and surgery left me cancer-free. As a retired firefighter and combat veteran, I've been in some pretty tough situations. But the hardest thing I've ever done was sit my four children down and tell them I had stage IV lung cancer.

Are there survivors of stage 4 colon cancer? ›

Against all odds, a woman beats stage IV colon cancer

“The summer before I was diagnosed, I had pseudomembranous colitis, which is a bad infection in your colon.” Her gastroenterologist, Bryan Woods, M.D., prescribed antibiotics and because she was so sick, they decided to postpone a colonoscopy.

What celebrities have survived colon cancer? ›

Famous People With Colorectal Cancer
  • 1/11. Chadwick Boseman. ...
  • 2/11. Charles M. ...
  • 3/11. Darryl Strawberry. ...
  • 4/11. Audrey Hepburn. ...
  • 5/11. Ronald Reagan. ...
  • 6/11. Sharon Osbourne. ...
  • 7/11. Vince Lombardi. ...
  • 8/11. Elizabeth Montgomery.
Mar 24, 2024

Can you be saved from stage 4 colon cancer? ›

A growing number of people with stage IV colon cancer live longer than 2 years. And for a small group of people with cancer that has only spread to their liver or lung, surgery might even cure it.

What are the chances of stage 4 colon cancer returning? ›

After surgery and chemotherapy, the recurrence risk is 30%. Stage 4: The cancer has spread beyond the lymph nodes to other organs such as the liver and lungs, and is less likely to be cured with surgery or chemotherapy. However, advanced treatments can help contain the spread and improve quality of life.

What percentage of people beat Stage 4 colon cancer? ›

Metastatic (stage 4) colorectal cancer survival rate

For patients with metastatic colorectal cancer that has spread to distant parts of the body, the five-year relative survival rate is 15.6 percent, according to SEER data.

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