Long Island Father Overcomes Stage 2 Colon Cancer

A 37-year-old father of three from Long Island found himself in a shocking situation last October when he was diagnosed with “aggressive” colon cancer, weighing in at 302 pounds and otherwise healthy.

This alarming diagnosis came shortly after the death of one of his favorite actors, James Van Der Beek, who had passed from the same disease.

“When the doctor told me I had a blockage, it was very, very difficult,” Travis Travieso recalled. It was a moment that changed everything for him.

Images taken during scans revealed a tumor measuring 7.3 cm, covering a staggering 90% of his colon. “Everything happened very quickly after that,” he noted, reflecting on the whirlwind that followed.

Northwell Health physicians quickly removed the stage 2 tumor through surgery, but that was just the beginning of what would become a painful journey.

Due to his young age and the aggressive nature of the cancer, he had to undergo several weeks of intense postoperative chemotherapy. Dr. David Rivadeneira, a surgeon at Huntington Hospital, explained the urgency of the situation.

“The surgery was easy,” Travieso stated, but the real battle was ahead. “The hard part is going through chemotherapy… You’re not just fighting the cancer; you’re also dealing with the side effects.” Exhaustion, nausea, and conversations with his children took a toll on him during this trying time.

He reflected on how challenging it was, especially since he had to spend holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas undergoing treatment. “It’s actually much harder because you get weaker as you get older,” he admitted.

Finally, on February 12, Travieso completed his sixth and final round of chemotherapy, and, joyfully, he was declared cancer-free. “It means a lot. It means happiness. I won,” he exclaimed, feeling a sense of triumph.

A Call to Action for Young People

Now, Travieso is committed to spreading awareness, especially among millennials, stressing that colon cancer isn’t just an elderly person’s disease.

“People my age should get tested,” he urged, cautioning others not to dismiss symptoms as something trivial. His heart sank when he learned about Van Der Beek’s death from stage 3 colon cancer at just 48 years old. “It really broke my heart to see that he had the same disease as me,” he shared.

Dr. Rivadeneira emphasized that the risk for young people is escalating. Over the past decade, there’s been an alarming increase—colon and rectal cancer rates have reportedly risen by 200 to 300 percent among those under 50. This trend, he noted, was almost unheard of 30 years ago during his training.

“Every day I see 30- and 40-year-old patients with colorectal cancer, and recently, I even treated a 21-year-old,” he said, expressing his concerns about this trend.

The causes remain unclear, but Dr. Rivadeneira suggested a mix of factors—poor diet, obesity, smoking, and family history—could be at play. As was the case with Travieso, the signs can often be elusive. He had noticed blood in his stool but initially dismissed it, thinking it was just from spicy food he had eaten while on vacation.

“I didn’t feel anything until then. I felt strong and normal,” said Travieso, reflecting on how unpredictable circumstances can be.

Dr. Rivadeneira reiterated that colonoscopy is still the “gold standard” for screening, recommended at age 45, although younger individuals might want to consider getting tested if they experience symptoms. “If you’re 32 years old and your bowel habits have changed, you’re bleeding, you’re having problems, go see your doctor and get tested.”

On a positive note, he also mentioned that colon cancer is very treatable, especially when caught early. “This is minimally invasive, small incision, so-called keyhole surgery,” he explained, reassuring that most patients are typically hospitalized for just one to two days, making a full recovery in a couple of weeks.