Marcus bendling He thought he had reached his physical limit when he completed an Ironman medium in less than six hours in May 2023. This demanding triathlon includes 1.2 miles of swimming, 56 miles by bicycle and a 13.1 mile race; However, the real challenge came shortly after, when, with 47 years, they diagnosed him Stadium 3 rectum cancer.
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“I carry a healthy diet. I exercise six days a week. I’ve always been aware of my health.”said Wendling, resident of Dayton, Ohio, in conversation with the New York Post. “So until that moment, you feel that you have that feeling of invincibility.”.
In early 2023, he noticed something unusual: blood in his feces. He did not present any other important symptoms or history. Being the father of three children and owner of a small business, he decided not to ignore what he was seeing.
The patient noticed something unusual: blood in his feces. He did not present any other important symptoms or history. (Referential Photo: Armmy Picca / Istock)
“I went to take a complete physical exam, and everything – all blood tests and numbers – went very well”he recalled. “But I told that doctor in Dayton: ‘Hey, I need to make me a colonoscopy. I am seeing blood sometimes in my feces, and that is what led me to the colonoscopy in November 2023′”.
As he said, it was his first colonoscopy. Although in 2021 the recommended age was reduced to begin colorectal cancer checks from 50 to 45 years, Wendling had not felt at risk. He had no family history or persistent symptoms, so he did not consider having a before.
During the colonoscopy they removed a large polyp at the bottom of the rectum, which tested positive for cancer. “During the next three months I underwent several tests”he said. “There was an attempt to remove the remaining fabric through a minimally invasive procedure, and it was not successful,”.
It was necessary to perform greater surgery: a lower previous resection. This intervention, of more than five hours, was carried out in March 2024 at the Oncological Center of the State University of Ohio. When analyzing the extracted nodes, three of them were positive, confirming Stadium 3 of cancer.
Wendling underwent surgery that, despite complications, was successful. (Referential Photo: Freepik)
Wendling’s recovery was difficult. A small filtration at the surgery site caused a fever and complicated his hospital stay. Even so, his surgeon, Dr. Matthew Kalady, highlighted his positive attitude and good physical condition: “Marcus had some potholes on the path of recovery, as can happen with treatments, but in general he did very well”.
Then, Wendling completed 12 weeks of chemotherapy with minimum side effects and adapted to live with a bag of ileostomy.
After completing 12 weeks of chemotherapy with minimal side effects and living with a bag of ileostomy, the American could beat the disease. (Referential Photo: Freepik)
“He exercised with her, ran with her”he said. In September 2024 they retired and for the month of November he already felt that his life returned to normal.
Today, he continues with regular checks and prepares to compete again in an Ironman medium in Florida. “Objective number 1 is to finish”says excited. “Objective No. 2 is to beat my time of 2023, that is like closing last year’s book”.
Mayo Clinic explains that colon cancer begins in the large intestine, often from polyps that can become evil over time. These polyps are usually asymptomatic, so detection tests such as colonoscopy are crucial for early identification and removal, thus preventing cancer development. Sometimes colorectal cancer is called when it includes straight cancer.
The symptoms of colon cancer, such as persistent changes in intestinal habits, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, a sense of incomplete evacuation, fatigue and weight loss, may not appear until advanced stages.
The main treatment is surgery, sometimes complemented with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Early detection significantly improves the chances of success of treatment.
The aforementioned institution also highlights risk factors such as age, family history, diet and certain medical conditions.
