Woman with stage four colon cancer reveals five symptoms she initially dismissed
The mum is urging people to 'advocate' for themselves
Mia Williams
Warning: This article contains discussion of cancer which some readers may find distressing
A single mum diagnosed with stage four colon cancer has warned others about the symptoms she initially ignored.
Radwah Oda has sadly been diagnosed with stage four colon cancer, all while trying to maintain her office job in Texas and raise her child.
The mum-of-one posted a TikTok which now has 2.3 million views, explaining all the warning signs that she dismissed, 'assuming' it was something less serious.
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She is now urging people to 'advocate for themselves', after many find that they are told their symptoms are not cancer.
As she outlined the five main symptoms, she noted: "If you have any of these symptoms, please don’t be concerned, but go see a doctor."
One of the most common signs of colon cancer is changes in your bowel habits. And for Oda, it was the first subtle sign that she noticed.
Her stool appeared to be thin and pencil-like, but she brushed the symptom off as 'constipation'.
She also noticed blood in her stool, but assumed that it was as a result of haemorrhoids.
However, in younger patients, a 2024 study highlighted blood in stool as one of two top 'red flag' symptoms.
She also noted feeling like her bowels were never fully empty.
In the video, she said: "Each time I would use the restroom, I would feel like I still needed to go. I would keep pushing and pushing but nothing would come out."
While pain near the abdomen is a known symptom of colon cancer, pain that is felt elsewhere in the body could be a sign that the cancer has spread.
Oda felt pain on her right side near her breast.
She said: "I just assumed my bra was too tight, even though it was just on one side."
In reality, her cancer had actually spread to her liver.
Amid dealing with pain and changes in her stool, she was also chronically tired - no matter how much sleep she had.
She shared: "I would still need to take a nap a few times during the day and nothing really helped."
Cancer causes fatigue as cancer cells use up all the body’s energy.
In a separate video, she documented a couple of the less-known symptoms that she experienced leading up to her diagnosis.
These included weight loss, loss of appetite and constant stomach pains.
Up until doctors told her she had cancer, she blamed these symptoms on a 'really bad stomach bug'.
If you experience any of these symptoms, it's important to seek advice from a healthcare professional as soon as possible.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.