Can a 24 year old get colon cancer?

[ejc26c]

Hello,
I am a 24 year old female who is severely obese to begin with. My aunt was just diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 27 this past december and my Mom also just found out she had colon polyps. I have had abdominal cramping for the past 3 weeks or so. I have had diarrhea alternating with I guess what you would call constipation(it would be hard to go but the stools would be soft). Actually at times it would be hard at first for the diarrhea to come out... sounds weird I know. When I have formed stools they are small, skinny and elongated. For the most part I have had a decreased appetite. When I had my physical by the nurse practitioner instead of my regular physician two days ago she told me I didn't have hemorrhoids but she did occult the stool and found that there was blood in it. Now I have diarrhea and it looks like it has mucous in it. What should I do? Could I have colon cancer?
Thanks,
Elisabeth

[Londres70]

Have the sorted out ASAP by a GI Specialist; Lower Endoscopy.  

All the best.  

[ejc26c]

Sorry I just re-read my post my aunt was 47 when diagnosed with colon cancer.

[Londres70]

You will NEED a lower endoscopy to rule UC out, not an upper endoscopy.  That would be my recommendation.  

[ejc26c]

I don't think it would be UC as I had an upper endoscopy done and they said things looked normal.

[Londres70]

It is not common for your age, but can occur.  Sounds like a Colitis, possibly  UC=Ulcerative Colitis, but I cannot say this is cancer.  

Any referral to a GI Specialist to sort this out?