Genetic syndrome leads to woman's three colon cancer diagnoses

At age 42, an American woman underwent three surgeries to remove colon tumors and had her entire large intestine and uterus removed to prevent the risk of death from Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition.

In 2023, a routine endoscopy revealed a third malignant tumor in the remaining 33 cm segment of Danielle Ripley-Burgess's colon. Ripley-Burgess, a Missouri resident, underwent surgery to remove this final section and had a permanent ileostomy. This procedure redirects the end of the small intestine through the abdominal wall, allowing waste to collect in an external bag. This decisive surgical intervention followed years of Ripley-Burgess battling successive cancer-causing gene mutations.

Ripley-Burgess undergoing colon cancer treatment as a teenager, alongside her boyfriend Michael, who later became her husband. *Photo: Danielle Ripley-Burgess*

Ripley-Burgess's health challenges began at age 14 when she noticed blood in her stool. Embarrassed as a teenager, she concealed this from her family for two years, even trying to avoid red foods, mistakenly believing they changed waste color. By age 17, severe abdominal pain and exhaustion became frequent, leading her family to take her to the hospital. A biopsy confirmed stage three colon cancer, necessitating tumor removal surgery along with chemotherapy and radiation.

Eight years after her initial treatment, a routine endoscopy at age 25 revealed a new malignant polyp in her colon, despite a lack of symptoms. This second malignant tumor at a young age prompted specialists to conduct in-depth genetic testing. The results confirmed Ripley-Burgess carried Lynch syndrome. This genetic disorder impairs cells' ability to repair DNA errors, greatly increasing the risk of colon and uterine cancer for individuals with the gene mutation compared to the general population.

Danielle Ripley-Burgess received three colon cancer diagnoses. *Photo: Danielle Ripley-Burgess*

Understanding the genetic mutation's origin, Ripley-Burgess proactively underwent a hysterectomy and near-total colectomy to remove tissues prone to malignant transformation. Despite these efforts, the short segment of intestine she retained for natural digestion developed another malignant tumor when she was 39. The complete removal of her entire colon in 2023 finally stopped the risk of further tumors in her lower intestine.

Today, Ripley-Burgess shares her medical journey to warn young people about the rising incidence of gastrointestinal cancers. She urges people to overcome hesitation and seek medical attention immediately if they notice blood in their stool or experience persistent, unusual digestive disorders.