Sydney mother Kylie Swords says her concerns were initially dismissed because she was considered too young for cancer, before a lump was found nearly two years later. She was subsequently diagnosed with stage-three bowel cancer, highlighting concerns about delayed diagnosis and the growing incidence of cancers usually associated with older adults among younger people.

Swords was 37, working full-time and raising two young children when she received her diagnosis last year. After surgery and treatment she is in remission, and urges people to seek a second opinion if they remain concerned; the article also cites research suggesting accelerated biological ageing may be one factor behind rising cancer risk in younger adults.