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By Lucy Notarantonio
Senior Reporter
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A man diagnosed with cancer at 29 has shared five misconceptions about the disease that led him to believe it could never happen to him in his twenties.
Paul Klug was 29 when he was diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer, meaning the disease had spread to nearby lymph nodes but had not reached other parts of his body.
Colorectal cancer is rising rapidly among younger adults, according to the Cancer Research Institute. One in five diagnoses now occurs in people under 55, making it a leading cause of cancer-related death in this age group.
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"I eat healthy, work out and I don't smoke," the sales manager from Michigan told Newsweek. "I never thought it would happen to me."
...
The 'Lies' He Believed About Colon Cancer
Now 31 and in remission, Klug has highlighted five "lies" he believed about the disease that almost cost him his life:
- Being too young
- Eating healthy
- Dismissing blood in his stool as haemorrhoids
- Having no family history
- Being fit and "in good shape"
Doctors previously told Newsweek there is no single explanation for the rise in colorectal cancer among younger adults, but that a combination of modern lifestyle factors, such as diets high in ultra-processed foods, and environmental factors is likely contributing to the trend.
Common Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer
The American Cancer Society states the common symptoms of colorectal cancer include persistent changes in bowel habits, blood in the stool, abdominal pain, fatigue and unexplained weight loss.
For Klug, he only suffered from a bowel movements started to change towards the end of 2024. Having recently become a father for the first time, he found himself experiencing frequent diarrhea despite making no changes to his diet or lifestyle.
"I saw a doctor and was told to keep an eye on it for a couple of months, but nothing changed," he said.
He was referred to a gastroenterologist, who said the symptoms could be caused by haemorrhoids or Crohn's disease but recommended a colonoscopy to rule out anything more serious.
"A 7cm significant size tumor was detected and sent off for a biopsy," he said. "At that point, I had a feeling it could be cancer."
He was diagnosed with colon cancer and started chemotherapy the following week, undergoing treatment for around six months before completing seven weeks of radiotherapy.
"It was tough," he recalled. "My wife and I had just got married 18 months before, bought our first house, had IVF to have our first child, everything was coming together then I was diagnosed with cancer.
"It was challenging!"
‘Life Is Back on Track’
Becoming a father to Gordon, now 2, was his biggest motivation during the darkest moments of treatment.
Despite feeling well enough to continue exercising and working for much of the time, the experience remained "challenging."
"I've always wanted to be a dad so that family component pushed me to get through it so my son can grow up with a father," he said.
"A few weeks before diagnosis, I had traces of blood in stool, but it wasn't that obvious."
He said he did not experience any significant side effects from treatment and found it easier to cope with than chemotherapy. By the time he underwent surgery, there was no visible evidence of cancer remaining.
In February 2025, surgeons removed the area that had previously been affected by the disease. While recovering, he had to use an ostomy bag for three months. He described that period as the toughest part of his journey because it limited his mobility and made it much harder to get around.
"I have been in remission now for a year," he said. "I feel fantastic. We are expecting our second child in October. Life is back on track."
Today, he regularly shares his story on TikTok, @paul_fights_cancer, to raise awareness of cancer among younger people and encourage others never to ignore symptoms.
"I am letting people know this is serious," he said. "Men are reluctant to see a doctor as we have too much pride.
"We're often taught that being masculine means sucking it up and dealing with it yourself, but that's not the right approach.
"It ends up costing a lot of men their lives, and that's when situations like this can happen."
Klug hopes his story encourages anyone experiencing persistent changes in bowel habits, blood in their stool or other unusual symptoms to seek medical advice.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Charlotte Nisbet and Emma Lee-Sang
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