It's not a cancer you hear about often, but a cancer you should be paying attention to, especially if you are a part of Generation X or are a Millennial.
A new study shows cases of appendix cancer are on the rise.
Rates of appendix cancer more than tripled for people born between 1976 and 1984, and quadrupled for people born from 1981 to 1989.
As with all cancers, it's important to know the symptoms:
- Abdominal or pelvic pain
- Bloating
- Nausea and vomiting
Christina Annunziata, Senior Vice President, Extramural Discovery Science, American Cancer Society, tells CNN, "Good news is, typically it does not spread beyond the appendix. So most of the time, it is curable by this local surgery."
She says often the cancer does not spread outside of the appendix, but if it does, chemotherapy and other treatments as needed.
A colonoscopy could also detect appendix cancer, so here's your reminder to talk with your doctor and get that scheduled.
