32-year-old ‘healthy’ man had no symptoms other than tiredness. One blood test changed everything. AIIMS-trained doctor says not to ignore one common disease: ‘It can save your life’

If there is one thing you should never ignore, it is an adult experiencing anaemia. Taking to Instagram, haematologist Dr Kavya explained how a case of a 32-year-old man who came to her complaining about feeling exhausted turned out to be more sinister. His haemoglobin was 6.9, and he was feeling tired all the time. Alarmed at how low his haemoglobin levels were and how pale and tired he appeared, Dr Kavya ordered further tests – his ferritin and iron levels also turned out to be abnormally low, and he was diagnosed with anaemia. The story did not end here.

The doctor said she gave him multiple stool occult blood tests, as iron deficiency in an otherwise healthy man in his early 30s is not normal. They all came back positive. Unexpectedly, he had no abdominal pain or constipation, which is common in people who have ulcers or other gastrointestinal diseases. She also did not detect blood in the stool or haemorrhoids, but the positive stool test results did point out that something was not right. So she ordered him a CT scan, endoscopy, and colonoscopy with biopsy, and the results shocked everyone.

At the age of 32, the man had suffered from colon cancer, and the cancer had spread. The doctor then lamented how more young patients are being diagnosed with early-onset colon cancers. She revealed that one in five colorectal cancers are found in people younger than 55 years of age.


She ended the video by urging followers to not rely on iron pills if they are diagnosed with anaemia but to investigate the root cause, as it can potentially save their lives.

The National Family Health Survey's fifth round, which was carried out in 2019–21, provides the most latest information on anaemia in India.According to this data, almost half of women and a quarter of males between the ages of 15 and 49 were anaemic, as were two out of every three children under the age of five.

As per her LinkedIn profile, Dr Kavya Keerthana is a clinical haematologist and has a degree from AIIMS Delhi.

According to a Mayo Clinic report, colon cancer symptoms include:

Colon cancer symptoms can include:

A shift in bowel patterns, including constipation or more frequent diarrhoea.

blood in the stool or rectal bleeding.

persistent pain, gas, or cramping in the abdomen.

A sensation that during a bowel movement, the intestine does not empty completely.

Fatigue or weakness.

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