Kylie Swords was told she was 'too young' to have cancer... then doctors discovered a lump almost two years later

Published: 01:31, 1 August 2026 | Updated: 01:57, 1 August 2026 A Sydney mother who survived bowel cancer has described visiting multiple doctors and challenging claims she was too young for the disease before finally receiving a life-changing diagnosis.  Kylie Swords, 38, who works in human services, first noticed symptoms in late 2022 but said her long-time GP told her to 'ignore it' because she was 'too young for anything serious'.  'Having an itchy bum to the point where I was awake at night was my main symptom,' she told the Daily Mail. 'But the doctor just said, "Oh, it'll go away if you stop thinking about it". 'I also went to hospital a couple of months before my diagnosis with a significant episode of stomach pain and had some bleeding in my stool the night before. 'However, they said there was no urgency in doing a physical examination as it was only one episode of bleeding.'  Ms Swords, who is an advocate for Bowel Cancer Australia, was shocked when she eventually received a stage 3B bowel cancer diagnosis in December 2024. 'I was raising two young kids and building my career, so it's pretty surprising, particularly on the back of being told by several doctors that they were confident I was too young for anything serious,' Ms Swords said.  Australian cancer survivor Kylie Swords (pictured) has described how she was diagnosed with bowel cancer at 37 despite multiple doctors telling her she was too young to have the disease  'I saw a different GP who again, said, "Oh, you're probably too young for anything serious, but I'm going to refer you on anyway".' When she saw the specialist, Ms Swords said it quickly became apparent there was a serious issue.  'The specialist felt a substantial lump upon physical examination in her office and from then, it was kind of a whirlwind,' she said. 'I think the lump was discovered on a Tuesday and by the Saturday, I had had a CT scan, an MRI and a colonoscopy. 'I still didn't get the diagnosis for a few weeks, but she was pretty confident with what it was.'  Ms Swords, whose children were aged two and six at the time, described trying to shield them from the diagnosis, although they noticed the number of medical appointments she was attending.  'For my immediate family, they knew quite quickly because they knew that nothing would happen that quickly unless my doctor was really worried,' she said. 'For my extended family, I kept it to myself for a little while until I had answers [to the questions] they were going to ask. Kylie Swords, 38, first noticed symptoms two years earlier, but claimed her long-time GP told her to 'ignore it' because she was 'too young for anything serious' 'Telling the family was surprising. Their reaction was like, "Oh, I didn't think that that happened to the young people".' Ms Swords underwent extensive surgery at Macquarie University Hospital, followed by 11 rounds of chemotherapy at the Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centre.  She also had a temporary stoma following surgery, which was later reversed.  However, she said she still lives with the long-term effects of treatment. 'I have what’s called low anterior resection syndrome (LARS), which impacts my toileting, so I might go many times in a day,' Ms Swords said. 'It affects things like long drives or long days at the office. My memory's not great as well due to the chemotherapy, and I have brain fog too. I'm very tired a lot of the time.'  She also said she struggled with ongoing cold sensitivity in her hands caused by chemotherapy. 'It's a real struggle some winter mornings, getting the heat packs out to put in my pockets,' she said. Ms Swords (pictured with husband James) was shocked and frustrated after her stage 3B bowel cancer diagnosis in December 2024  'My hands are really sore and washing them under very cold water can really hurt. 'Going through the freezer to find the meat that I froze three weeks ago is really hard too.' Although Ms Swords has been told there is no evidence of disease, she said she does not believe she will ever 'truly go back to normal'.  'I think my new normal is just being really hypervigilant of every kind of feeling that I've got,' she said. 'I don't think you go back to normal, and I think that's a pretty common experience with lots of people. 'You're always worried about the risk of recurrence so, while I know that I'm okay for now, I don't see myself ever feeling completely okay and not worried anymore.' Looking back, Ms Swords said she wishes she had been more persistent in following up her symptoms.  'I would ideally have insisted on a physical examination when I went to hospital with stomach pain and blood in my stool,' she said.  Bowel Cancer Australia spokesman Associate Professor Dan Buchanan told the Daily Mail changes to lifestyle, the environment and diet were possible contributors 'I also think the main thing I would have done more of was slow down and take the time to follow up on my symptoms earlier. 'In the prime of our lives, we just kind of tend to get on with things and don't necessarily slow down and go, "Hang on, that symptom hasn't subsided yet", or even just listening to our bodies and realising that something has changed.'  For younger Australians, Ms Swords urged people not to ignore changes in their health. 'Make sure that if something doesn't feel right or if it isn't your normal, follow it up,' she said. Ms Swords's case comes as research shows Australians under 40 are being diagnosed with cancer at higher rates than previous generations.  Rising rates of bowel and thyroid cancer have largely driven the increase in diagnoses among those in their 30s, according to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).  The figures show the number of cases grew from 121 to about 135 per 100,000 people in that age group between 2000 and 2025.  Leading the surge is bowel cancer, with rates rising from 6.3 cases per 100,000 people to 18.9 during that period.  Bowel Cancer Australia spokesman Associate Professor Dan Buchanan told the Daily Mail changes to lifestyle, the environment and diet were possible contributors. '[This is] more sedentary behaviours at work and home, modern environmental factors such as microplastics and agricultural chemicals, and a modern western-style diet,' he said. He added that the latter includes diets high in ultra-processed foods, refined sugars and red or processed meats, along with reduced fibre intake. He urged young Australians to be aware of potential warning signs and seek medical advice if symptoms persist. 'Common warning signs include bleeding from the rectum, blood in the stool, abdominal pain that does not go away, changes in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss and iron deficiency,' he said. 'Being aware of changes in your body, not ignoring them and raising concerns with your GP is important for early detection and surviving an early-onset bowel cancer diagnosis.'