College football player with stomach pains discovers colon cancer

Khalil Smith, a former freshman running back at West Virginia Wesleyan College, was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer after experiencing persistent stomach pain and significant weight loss. Initially thinking the discomfort was due to common ailments or dietary adjustments, Smith discovered the severity of his condition only after medical tests revealed internal bleeding and large tumors blocking his colon. Despite undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, traditional treatments were ineffective until Smith was diagnosed with Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition predisposing him to colon cancer. Immunotherapy, a treatment that leverages the immune system to combat cancer, proved successful, allowing him to avoid further chemotherapy and improve his quality of life. Smith has since resumed a more normal lifestyle, including completing his degree in exercise science and returning briefly to football, though he continues to manage side effects like neuropathy. His experience highlights the increasing incidence of aggressive colon cancer in young adults and the potential benefits of personalized treatment approaches like immunotherapy.