Proton Therapy Helps Young Woman Beat Stage 3 Rectal Cancer

The recent death of actor James Van Der Beek from colorectal cancer at age 47 sent shockwaves through news and social media channels. For many, the idea of a fit, active individual under the age of 50 succumbing to one of the world’s deadliest cancers was hard to wrap their arms around.

The news of his passing highlighted a troubling and rapidly growing trend that has oncologists and researchers sounding the alarm: colorectal cancer is no longer just a disease of older adults.

Carolyn Scavone, a 37-year-old paralegal from South Florida, knows this all too well. Like many young adults, she led an active lifestyle — enjoying Pilates, spending time outdoors with her husband and dog, and focusing on growing their family. Being diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer was the furthest thing from her mind.

Ms. Scavone’s journey from shocking diagnosis to successful remission serves as a powerful testament to the importance of early detection and the life-saving potential of advanced medical technology.

(Watch now: Diagnosed at 37 and successfully treated with advanced proton therapy at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute, Carolyn Scavone’s story highlights a troubling trend: colorectal cancer is increasing fastest among young adults. Video by Eduardo Morales, SlickVid Productions.)

At Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute, Ms. Scavone found not only a medical team but a path to a cure that prioritized her long-term future. Under the care of Michael Chuong, M.D., medical director of the Institute’s department of radiation oncology, she received proton therapy — a highly advanced form of radiation that targets tumors with sub-millimeter precision.

A Growing Concern for Young Adults

Ms. Scavone is part of a demographic that oncologists are seeing with greater frequency in their clinics. While overall cancer death rates have declined, the incidence of colorectal cancer in adults under 50 has been steadily climbing, Dr. Chuong says.

“Carolyn is one of the increasing number of young patients diagnosed with advanced rectal cancer,” he says. “Unfortunately, that incidence is growing on a yearly basis.”

Colorectal cancer remains one of the most diagnosed cancer types in the U.S. and a leading cause of cancer-related death. The shift toward younger patients — including those in their 20s, 30s, and 40s — presents a unique challenge. Unlike older patients, these individuals are in the prime of their lives, often raising young families or, like Ms. Scavone, trying to start one.

The medical community continues to explore the reasons behind this rise. “The reason for that is not entirely clear,” Dr. Chuong explains. “We think that it may be related to diet or to other external or environmental factors. But the exact reason is still something that is being studied.”

Regardless of the cause, the implication is clear: age is not a shield against colorectal cancer.

Ignoring the Signs: A Complicated Beginning

For Ms. Scavone, the path to diagnosis was complicated by other medical factors. At the time her symptoms began, she and her husband had already been undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments for three years in hopes of starting a family. When she noticed blood in her stool — the number one symptom of colorectal cancer — she attributed it to the medications she was taking.

“I assumed it was from a blood thinner medication that I was taking as part of my IVF journey,” Ms. Scavone recalls.

However, other symptoms soon followed. Despite her dedication to Pilates and building muscle, she began losing weight unintentionally. She noticed a change in the caliber of her stool, describing it as “very thin and skinny.” Perhaps most frustrating was the constant urge to use the bathroom with no results.

“I had the urge to go to the bathroom all the time, but nothing would happen, and it was very frustrating,” Ms. Scavone says.

These warning signs — rectal bleeding, weight loss, changes in stool shape, and tenesmus (the feeling of needing to pass stool) — are classic indicators of colorectal cancer, according to Dr. Chuong. Ms. Scavone made the critical decision to bypass her primary care physician and go straight to a gastroenterologist. That decision likely saved her life.

The Diagnosis That Changed Everything

Ms. Scavone received her diagnosis on World Cancer Day. The timing felt surreal. Sitting in the lobby of her physician’s office at 7 a.m. with her husband, watching news segments about cancer awareness, she had a sinking feeling.

“I looked at my husband and I was like, ‘How is this happening? We’re in the waiting room. We’re going to go back and this physician is going to tell me I have cancer,’” Ms. Scavone says.

Her intuition proved correct. The gastroenterologist confirmed she had stage 3 rectal cancer, meaning her cancer had spread to nearby lymph nodes. The news was devastating.

“I didn’t realize how serious it was until the physician was so serious about me making an appointment with an oncologist immediately,” she says. “I thought I was going to lose all of my hair, that I was going to be very sick and that I was going to die.”

Ms. Scavone faced a rigorous treatment plan. It began with chemotherapy, followed by radiation and, finally, surgery. It was during the transition to radiation that her care team recommended the radiation oncology program at Miami Cancer Institute.

Choosing the Right Weapon: Proton Therapy

When treating rectal cancer, specifically in the pelvis, precision is paramount. The pelvis contains critical organs, including the bladder, bowel, and reproductive system. Standard X-ray therapy, while effective, can affect healthy tissues due to unintended radiation exposure.

For a young patient like Ms. Scavone, minimizing this collateral damage was essential. This is where proton therapy distinguishes itself.

“Proton therapy, as opposed to X-ray therapy, which is the more common type of radiation, delivers substantially less radiation dose outside of the area that we are trying to target,” Dr. Chuong explains. “In fact, a large volume of the pelvis receives absolutely no radiation with proton therapy compared to X-ray therapy.  That can significantly decrease the risk of side effects during but especially after radiation therapy is completed.”

Miami Cancer Institute stands as the premier proton center in the southeast U.S., having treated thousands of patients over nearly a decade. Dr. Chuong notes that fewer than 50 centers in the country offer this technology, while thousands of centers offer X-ray therapy.

Preserving Her Future and Her Hope for a Family

The decision to use proton therapy was not just about treating the cancer, it was about protecting Ms. Scavone’s future. Because she hopes to have children via surrogacy and live a long, full life, reducing toxicity to her ovaries and other organs was a major priority.

“For someone like Carolyn who is young and is likely to be cured of her disease, proton therapy was critical to decreasing the risk of long-term toxicity,” Dr. Chuong says.

By sparing the ovaries and reproductive system from unnecessary radiation exposure, proton therapy decreases the risk of fertility problems and early menopause. Furthermore, it reduces the likelihood of secondary cancers developing later in life — a crucial consideration for a patient expected to live for decades post-treatment.

“There really is an important need to use the most advanced types of radiation therapy to minimize the exposure of organs in the pelvis that could potentially be affected long term and lead to significant side effects, such as fertility or early menopause or bladder complications or bowel complications,” Dr. Chuong adds.

A Seamless Treatment Experience

Ms. Scavone’s first meeting with Dr. Chuong solidified her confidence in the treatment plan. “I met Dr. Chuong last year, about June or July, and I immediately knew he was going to be my physician,” she says. “In a time of uncertainty and unknowns, he made me feel calm, and he made me feel like he was going to take good care of me.”

Her treatment regimen consisted of 28 sessions of proton radiation, administered once a day, Monday through Friday, over the course of a month and a half. She also took chemotherapy pills concurrently. Despite the intensity of the schedule, Ms. Scavone found the experience surprisingly manageable.

“Having treatment at Miami Cancer Institute was seamless,” she says. “It took me longer to drive there than it did for my treatment, which was very quick. I was in and out within 30 minutes.”

Most importantly, the side effects were minimal. While she experienced some fatigue — taking a nap almost every day — she avoided the severe toxicity often associated with pelvic radiation.

“She tolerated treatment very, very well,” Dr. Chuong confirms. “We were able to treat her very precisely and avoid radiation exposure to the majority of her pelvis.”

Ms. Scavone even found comfort in the routine. “I know this might sound extremely weird but I strangely looked forward to my radiation treatments at Miami Cancer Institute,” she admits. “You kind of develop relationships with the team there. They cared for me—and about me—every single day.”

Success by All Definitions

Following her radiation therapy, Ms. Scavone underwent a lower anterior resection surgery in early December 2025. The goal was to remove the remainder of the tumor and surrounding lymph nodes. The results were better than she had dared to hope. As of December 17, she was told she was officially in remission.

“My surgeon was able to remove the remainder of the tumor and 17 lymph nodes, which all came back clear,” Ms. Scavone says. “When I first found out and got the news from the surgeon that he was able to get clear margins, it didn’t feel real at first.”

Dr. Chuong describes her outcome as excellent. “She has an excellent long-term prognosis and a very high chance of long-term cure,” he says. “And now, almost a year later, she’s had an amazing recovery and no significant long-term side effects from her treatment. I would say that is success by all definitions that I know of.”

Life After Colorectal Cancer

For cancer survivors, the end of treatment often brings a new set of challenges. Ms. Scavone is candid about the emotional toll of survivorship. “Now that my cancer is gone, the fear of recurrence is very hard to deal with,” she shares. “After my treatment and after the news of knowing that I’m in remission now, I’m kind of living in a state of ‘what do I do now?’”

She emphasizes the importance of mental health support, noting that she saw a therapist throughout her treatment and continues to do so. “I underestimated the emotional toll that cancer treatment takes on after the treatment,” she says.

Despite these challenges, Ms. Scavone is looking forward. She and her husband are pursuing a surrogacy journey to start the family they have dreamed of for years. “My life did not turn out the way that I had pictured it by any means, so we’re just going to go with the flow,” she says.

She credits her support system — her husband, family, and the online cancer community — for helping her navigate the darkest moments. Now, she wants to be that support for others.

Recognizing Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer

Ms. Scavone’s story is a victory for advanced medicine, but it is also a warning. Colorectal cancer is highly treatable when caught early, yet many young adults dismiss symptoms or delay screening because they believe they are too young to be at risk.

Michael Chuong, M.D., medical director of radiation oncology at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute, with rectal cancer survivor Carolyn Scavone, 37, who was treated with proton therapy, a highly advanced form of radiation that targets tumors with sub-millimeter precision

Dr. Chuong and Ms. Scavone both urge the public to be vigilant. “Screening is so important, and so is not waiting to see your physician if you notice any unusual symptoms,” Dr. Chuong advises. “If you experience symptoms such as rectal bleeding or rectal pain, getting that evaluated early is really a critical factor for a successful outcome.”

Common symptoms of colorectal cancer include:

• Rectal bleeding or blood in the stool

• Change in bowel habits (constipation, diarrhea, or narrowing of the stool)

• Abdominal pain or cramping

• Unintentional weight loss

• Weakness and fatigue

“My message is this: know the symptoms and get screened,” Ms. Scavone says. “If you’re having any symptoms, please get screened. If you’re 45 years old and you’re able to get a colonoscopy, get a colonoscopy.”

A Beacon of Hope

Today, Ms. Scavone stands as a testament to the power of self-advocacy and state-of-the-art care. Her journey from a terrifying diagnosis to a cancer-free future highlights the life-changing impact of proton therapy and multidisciplinary treatment at a high-volume center such as Miami Cancer Institute.

“If I were a young patient diagnosed with colorectal cancer, I would want to know that I could have a curative outcome and live for many years with excellent quality of life,” Dr. Chuong says. “Carolyn’s story is a powerful reminder that finding the right team — one with world-class experience and genuine compassion — can make a life-changing difference.”

For those facing a similar diagnosis, Ms. Scavone offers a simple message of solidarity and strength: “They can look at my story and say, ‘Look, she did it and I can do it, too.’”

Click here for more information about colorectal cancer and the services and specialists available at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute.