FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Colorectal cancer isn’t just a concern for older adults anymore. Doctors say cases are rising in younger people, with about 1 in 5 diagnoses now occurring in patients under 55.

For 55-year-old Ines Hegedus-Garcia, the diagnosis came after she noticed subtle changes in her health. The South Florida realtor and mother of three said she began feeling “a little off.”

“I started not sleeping, I started getting headaches, I just wasn’t feeling right,” she said.

Instead of brushing it off, Hegedus-Garcia went to see Dr. Nabeel Khan, an internal medicine physician with Mount Sinai Medical Center.

“When I showed up, it was the most unusual thing in the world. He was looking at me in the eye and listening,” she said. “And I find that to be so unusual in today’s medical field.”

Khan said that kind of communication is critical, especially when symptoms aren’t obvious.

“Patients really do know their own bodies,” Khan said. “If they are complaining about vague symptoms, it’s important to really listen and try to evaluate and investigate to see what’s going on.”

Even though her initial blood work came back normal, Khan ordered additional cancer screenings, including a colonoscopy. That test revealed colon cancer.

Because it was caught early, doctors were able to remove the cancer surgically. Hegedus-Garcia did not need chemotherapy or radiation.

Now cancer-free, she’s back to her active lifestyle -- including kickboxing.

“I feel fantastic. I really do,” she said. “I boxed yesterday. I work out every day. I think I’ve never felt better.”

Doctors say her story is a reminder to pay attention to your body and speak up if something doesn’t feel right. Early detection can make all the difference.

PEMBROKE PARK, Fla.