{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,30]],"date-time":"2026-09-30T01:18:58Z","timestamp":1790731138197,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":69,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,28]],"date-time":"2025-10-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1761609600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100006069","name":"Krebsliga Beider Basel","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100006069","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Colorectal Disease"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Aim<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Early\u2010onset colorectal cancer (EOCC), defined as colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosed in patients under the age of 50, has increased alarmingly in Western countries in recent decades. Although risk factors, diagnostics and treatment approaches have been studied, the subjective experiences of EOCC patients remain underexplored. This study aimed to identify patient\u2010perceived challenges and their unmet needs in Switzerland, a country with a high\u2010resource healthcare system with minimal waiting times for investigations and comprehensive healthcare coverage.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Method<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Nineteen semi\u2010structured interviews were conducted between 09\/2023 and 06\/2024 with EOCC patients following a constructivist grounded theory approach.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Participants from all cancer stages and aged between 30 and 50\u2009years were recruited. We developed three main themes from the collected data: diagnostic delay, coping mechanisms and stigmatisation. Despite access to a well\u2010resourced healthcare system, study participants experienced diagnostic delays, indicating the need for increased physician awareness and improved risk\u2010based screening for high\u2010risk individuals. Participants' key coping strategies included self\u2010advocacy and participating in medical decision\u2010making, like prioritising fertility preservation over rushed treatment. Participants reported fear of stigmatisation and isolation after being diagnosed. Such stigma manifested in concerns over alopecia or living with an ostomy. Finally, participants experienced an internal shift in personal priorities resulting in post\u2010traumatic growth despite cancer diagnosis<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>EOCC challenges current clinical practices. Better physician awareness, risk\u2010factor\u2010based screening policies, integrated discussions about individual treatment such as potential fertility issues and targeting stigma are critical for improving the EOCC patients' journey.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/codi.70285","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,28]],"date-time":"2025-10-28T13:21:46Z","timestamp":1761657706000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Listening to patients: A qualitative study on diagnostic delay, coping strategies and stigma in early\u2010onset colorectal cancer"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"27","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4968-6627","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"H. 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