“Tune It Up” Virtual Concert to Raise Awareness of Colorectal Cancer
ACG’s Soundtrack for March CRC Awareness Month
ACG’s “Tune It Up: A Concert to Raise Awareness of Colorectal Cancer” returned in 2025!
View a recording of the 2025 virtual concert below.
Tune It Up: A Concert to Raise Awareness of Colorectal Cancer returned under the direction of concertmaster Dr. Benjamin Levy of the ACG Public Relations Committee. Dr. Levy invited an incredible array of musical guests, including the legendary band Blues Traveler, for this virtual event that tapped the connection and energy that music creates to shine a light on the importance of colorectal cancer prevention.
2025 Performers
 Blues Traveler Rock Band |  Adam Lambert Singer/Songwriter |  Lisa Loeb Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist |
 Rufus Wainwright Singer/Songwriter/Composer |  Hilary Hahn Violinist |  Katie Couric Journalist/Presenter/Cancer Advocate |
 Switchfoot Rock Band |
 Michael Franti & Spearhead Guitarist/Singer |
 A Great Big World Rock Band |
 Ally Venable Band Blues Guitarist |
 Ben Kweller Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist |
 Kerry Ellis West End/Broadway Singer |
 David Finckel & Wu Han Cellist & Pianist |  KF Jacques Hip-Hop & Opera Singer |  John D’earth Jazz Trumpeter |
 Sue Foley Blues Guitarist |  Mark Wood Violinist from Trans-Siberian Orchestra |  David Broza Guitarist/Singer |
 Sammi Palinkas Country Singer/Songwriter |  The Wildwoods Folk/Americana Trio |  Julia Lee Cellist |
 Berlin Philharmonic Horns Orchestra Section |  Ariel Quartet String Quartet |  Lynn Williams Principal Harpist, Lyric Opera of Chicago |
About the 2025 Performers
Blues Traveler – Formed in 1988, led by John Popper (singer, harmonica, and songwriter) plus Chan Kinchla (guitar), Bobby Sheehan (bass) and Brendan Hill (drums), the rock band Blues Traveler started the 1990’s jam band revival. Blues Traveler helped launch the H.O.R.D.E Festival in 1992. Their 1994 album Four pushed the band to the top of the charts featuring “Run-Around” which reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent nearly one year on the charts – plus their hit single “Hook” which reached #23. Blues Traveler won a GRAMMY® Award in 1996 for “Best Rock Performance” for their song “Run-Around” and the song also helped the album Four sell 6x platinum. John Popper and the band have continued to record subsequent albums including the 2015 Blow Up the Moon featuring collaborations with Jewel, Hanson, and the Plain White T’s, plus the 2021 Traveler’s Blues featuring Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Warren Haynes, and Rita Wilson plus Traveler’s Soul in 2023 featuring Pat Monahan from Train. During the summer of 2025, Blues Traveler will tour nationally with the Gin Blossoms and the Spin Doctors.
Adam Lambert – Singer Adam Lambert performed in Season 8 of American Idol in 2009 which introduced his voice to households globally including a performance of “We Are The Champions” with Queen rock band members Brian May and Roger Taylor. Later in 2009, Adam Lambert released his debut album For Your Entertainment which debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200. The album launched several singles including “Whataya Want from Me” which received a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. In November 2011, Adam Lambert joined Queen for a performance at the MTV Europe Awards in Belfast where Queen received a “Global Icon Award.” In June 2012, Queen + Adam Lambert performed their first full concert together in Kyiv, Ukraine in Independence Square for a joint show with Elton John for the Olena Pinchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation – followed by a mini tour with dates in Moscow, Wroclaw, and London. In 2013, Adam Lambert joined Queen for the iHeart Radio Music Festival in Las Vegas. Starting in 2014, Queen + Adam Lambert started touring internationally including a 24-date North American tour plus additional concerts in Australia and New Zealand – and the tour extended into the next year with concerts in South America, the UK, and Europe. Queen + Adam Lambert have continued to actively tour internationally including U.S. concert tours in 2017, 2019, and 2024. In September 2018, Queen + Adam Lambert performed a residency at the Park Theatre in Las Vegas. In 2019, Adam Lambert released “New Eyes” the lead single from his fourth studio album Velvet and performed songs from the album on Good Morning America’s Summer Concert Series and the Late Late Show with James Corden. In 2020, Queen + Adam Lambert released Live Around The World which debuted as #1 on the Official UK Albums Chart. In 2023, Adam Lambert released his fifth studio album High Drama which includes the song “Ordinary World.” In 2024 and 2025, Adam Lambert has been singing the role as Emcee in the new Broadway production of Cabaret.
Lisa Loeb – GRAMMY® Award-winning singer-songwriter and guitarist who started her career with the platinum-selling hit song “Stay (I Missed You)” from the film Reality Bites. A trailblazing independent artist, Lisa Loeb was the first pop musician to have a #1 single while not signed to a recording contract. She followed that feat with several hit singles and six albums, two of which were certified gold. The Dallas, Texas native recently released her 15th album, A Simple Trick To Happiness. Lisa Loeb is also the host of her own weekday SiriusXM show, “Stay with Lisa Loeb,” on ’90s on 9, where she shares first-hand, behind-the-scenes accounts about the music and events of the ’90s. In recent years Lisa Loeb released a cover version of “All the Young Dudes” for Howard Stern’s David Bowie Special on SiriusXM. Her family-friendly album Feel What U Feel won the Grammy for Best Children’s Album. Often recognized for her iconic cat-eyed glasses, Lisa Loeb also oversees the design for Lisa Loeb Eyewear.
Rufus Wainwright – The New York-born, Montreal-raised GRAMMY® Award-nominated singer songwriter recently released his 12th studio album Folkocracy, a star-studded album of folk music reinventions featuring special guests and collaborations including Brandi Carlile, John Legend, David Byrne, Sheryl Crow, Nicole Scherzinger, Chaka Khan, Andrew Bird, and many more. Rufus Wainwright has written two operas plus numerous songs for movies and TV. He has collaborated with artists such as Elton John, Burt Bacharach, Miley Cyrus, Boy George, Joni Mitchell, Robbie Williams, Jessye Norman, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, and Sting. Rufus Wainwright’s fantastic GRAMMY® Award-nominated “Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall,” captured his celebrated Judy Garland tribute performance at the London Palladium. His first musical of John Cassavetes’ Opening Night for the West End with Ivo van Hove premiered at the Gielgud Theater in March 2024. During this time he also completed his Dream Requiem, which premiered with the Orchestre Philharmonique de la Radio France in June 2024 and featured Meryl Streep as the narrator. The recording of the performance was released via Warner Classics in January 2025. Co-Commissioners for the Dream Requiem are the Master Chorale in Los Angeles, the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona, the Helsinki Symphony Orchestra, the RTE Orchestra in Ireland, and the Royal Ballet London. Upcoming performances include the US premiere at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles in May 2025, featuring Jane Fonda.
Hilary Hahn – The three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning violinist is currently Artist-in-Residence for the New York Philharmonic and recently completed 3 years as Artist-in-Residence for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Violinist Hilary Hahn won the 2024 Avery Fisher Prize for her exceptional artistic achievement and leadership in classical music. Hilary Hahn is a prolific and celebrated recording artist whose 21 feature albums on Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, and Sony have all opened in the top ten of the Billboard charts. A strong advocate for new music, she has commissioned more than 35 composers to write works in a wide range of formats. Hilary Hahn was featured in the Oscar-nominated soundtrack to The Village.
SWITCHFOOT – SWITCHFOOT (founded in San Diego in 1997) has sold almost 10 million copies worldwide of their twelve studio albums (including their 2003 double-platinum breakthrough The Beautiful Letdown and 2009’s GRAMMY® Award-winning Hello Hurricane), racked up a string of Alternative radio hit singles, and performed sold-out tours in over 40 countries around the world. Through their unique blend of emotionally intelligent and uplifting brand of alternative rock, SWITCHFOOT has earned a devoted and loyal global fan base. They were featured on the British Edition of the Spiderman II soundtrack with the song “Meant To Live.” SWITCHFOOT has raised over $2 million dollars to aid kids in their community through their BRO-AM Foundation. SWITCHFOOT consists of Jon Foreman (vocals, guitar), Tim Foreman (bass), Jerome Fontamillas (keys, guitar), and Chad Butler (drums).
Michael Franti & Spearhead – Alternative-rock band that blends hip-hop, reggae, folk, and jazz in songs while incorporating themes of love, community, and social consciousness. Michael Franti & Spearhead created the critically acclaimed Home in 1990 which contained the single “Hole in the Bucket” discussing homeless issues and “Positive” about the growing AIDS epidemic. Michael Franti & Spearhead continued addressing social unease and desire for change through positive musical songs in several important albums including Stay Human (in 2001), Everyone Deserves Music (2003), and All People (2016). Michael Franti is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, filmmaker, and humanitarian who has been a groundbreaking force in the music industry. His globally-conscious lyrics and powerful live concerts with his band Spearhead are consistently at the cutting edge of lyrical activism using music to create positive change.
A Great Big World – The GRAMMY® Award Winning New York pop singer-and-songwriter duo Ian Axel and Chad King met in college at NYU and their music was first popularized on the Fox show “Glee.” Their hit song “Say Something” featured during Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance was re-recorded with Christina Aguilera – and became a worldwide hit. A Great Big World went on to perform the song with Aguilera on NBC’s The Voice, and that version took off to #1 on iTunes. After performing at The American Music Awards, they closed the year supporting Maroon 5 in New Year’s Eve concerts. The pop duo then released Is There Anybody Out There? on Epic Records. The duo was featured on Ingrid Michaelson’s 2014 album Lights Out singing “Over You.” In 2014, A Great Big World won their first GRAMMY® Award for best Pop Duo/Group Performance. A Great Big World recently released their third album Particles featuring “Fall on Me” with Christina Aguilera, “Save Me From Myself,” “Mama,” “Boys In The Street,” and “Glowing.” In February 2025, A Great Big World released a new EP then there were particles which continues to feature the rock duo’s melody-driven music.
Ally Venable Band – Ally Venable is a Texas blues-rock singer/songwriter and guitarist. It was 2019’s #2 Billboard Blues charting “Texas Honey” and rocking sets on Ruf Records’ European Blues Caravan tour that propelled Ally Venable internationally. In 2021, Kenny Wayne Shepherd lent his guitar skills on her XM Bluesville’s charted song, “Bring on the Pain.” Ally Venable also frequently collaborates with blues guitar legend Buddy Guy who performed on her 2023 song “Texas Louisiana” released by Ruf Records. Ally Venable recently opened for Buddy Guy on his “Damn Right Farewell” Tour. The Ally Venable Band features EJ Bedford on bass/keyboard and Isaac Pulido on drums. The Ally Venable Band recently recorded a music video at Wrigley Field (home of the Chicago Cubs) for TEDxWrigleyville. Their new album Power & Money will be released on April 18, 2025 featuring the single “Do You Cry.”
Ben Kweller – GRAMMY® Award Nominated Rock Singer/Songwriter. In 2001, Ben Kweller became ATO Records’s first worldwide signing. After releasing 5 albums, Kweller founded his own label and management company The Noise Company in Austin, Texas. Ben Kweller made his acting debut in the music-themed film Rudderless. The soundtrack featured the song “Hold On,” a duet between Kweller and Selena Gomez. During 2024, Ben Kweller opened for Ed Sheeran during portions of his U.S. Tour. Ben Kweller’s ninth studio album Covering The Mirrors featuring the Flaming Lips plus Jason Schwartzman’s musical project Coconut Records will be released on May 30, 2025 – with a planned national rock tour supporting the album starting in April through July 2025.
Kerry Ellis – The London West End/Broadway singer who originated the role of Meat in Queen’s “We Will Rock You” musical and was the first British Elphaba in London’s West End “Wicked.” Kerry Ellis then immediately transferred to Broadway and played Elphaba at the Gershwin Theater for 6 months, where she won the Broadway.com “Audience Award for Favorite Female Breakthrough Performance,” before returning to London for 6 months in 2009. Her many other leading role credits include Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady,” Ellen in “Miss Saigon” and Fantine in “Les Misérables.” Kerry Ellis also played Svetlana to critical acclaim in Chess at London’s Royal Albert Hall opposite Idina Menzel and Josh Groban. She is a frequent music collaborator with Queen guitarist Sir Brian May. Kerry Ellis recently released her 4th studio album “Kings & Queens” featuring Sir Brian May on the song “Battlefield.”
David Finckel and Wu Han – Cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han, honored as Musical America’s “Musicians of the Year,” stand among today’s most distinguished figures in classical music. From the stages of New York to the premier concert halls across the United States, Europe and Asia, they have captivated audiences globally. In 1997, David Finckel and Wu Han founded AristLed, the first internet-based, artist-controlled classical recording label. With a catalog of over 20 releases, AristLed showcases both the standard cello and piano repertoire, and new works composed for the duo. Since 2004, David Finckel and Wu Han have served as Artistic Directors of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS), the largest presenter and producer of chamber music in the world. As the longest serving artistic directors in CMS’s history, they have expanded the organization’s reach, drawing more people to chamber music through its performances, education programs, and recording/broadcast activities than any other organization of its kind. In recent seasons, they conceived and produced over 270 digital events, sustaining chamber music communities across the country during the pandemic lockdown. As founders and Artistic Directors of Silicon Valley’s Music@Menlo since 2002, David Finckel and Wu Han have established the festival as a model of innovative thematic programming and educational excellence, earning international acclaim. Music@Menlo’s exclusive recording label, Music@Menlo LIVE, has released over 130 audiophile-quality CDs to date. The duo had the privilege of serving as faculty members of the Isaac Stern Chamber Music Encounters in Israel, New York, and Japan. Born in Taiwan, Wu Han came to the United States as a graduate student, where her exceptional talent quickly garnered the attention of noted musicians. She was mentored by legendary pianists Lilian Kallir, Menahem Pressler, and Rudolf Serkin, thriving at the Marlboro and Aspen Music Festivals before winning the prestigious Andrew Wolf Award. Wu Han currently serves as Artistic Advisor for Wolf Trap’s Chamber Music at the Barns series and for Palm Beach’s Society of the Four Arts, and in 2022, she was appointed Artistic Director of La Musica in Sarasota, Florida. David Finckel was raised in New Jersey, where he spent his teenage years winning numerous competitions, among them the Philadelphia Orchestra’s junior and senior divisions, leading to two performances with the orchestra. As the first American student of Mstislav Rostropovich, he later became the cellist of the Emerson String Quartet, where his 34-season tenure earned the ensemble nine GRAMMY® Awards and the Avery Fisher Prize. David Finckel is also a professor of chamber music at both The Juilliard School and Stony Brook University.
K.F. Jacques – Hip-Hop artist, singer and songwriter who combines hip-hop with opera. K.F. Jacques is the award-winning creator of the hip hopera genre bending sound called OperaTronic. K.F. Jacques recently performed at the Chicago House of Blues and sang the national anthem at the United Center, U.S. Cellular Field, and Soldier Field. He composed “Corsair” for the Chicago Fringe Opera which was awarded Best New Opera Production in 2020 by the Chicago Reader. In 2022, K.F. Jacques wrote an OperaTronic song for TEDxWrigleyville which was subsequently filmed at Wrigley Field in Chicago. K.F. Jacques served as the head composer and played the role of Figaro in the “Rosina Project,” which is a hip hop opera version of ‘The Barber of Seville.’ K.F. Jacques holds a Master of Music degree in Voice Performance from Roosevelt University.
John D’earth – Jazz trumpeter and Director of Jazz Performance at the University of Virginia. John D’earth performs trumpet every Thursday night at Miller’s in Charlottesville. John D’earth has performed/recorded with the Dave Matthews Band and arranged the string orchestrations (for the Kronos Quartet) on their album Before These Crowded Streets. His trumpet playing is featured on the Dave Matthews Band song “Halloween.” John D’earth is a frequently sought after jazz trumpeter and has performed with an amazing list of leaders including Buddy Rich, Lionel Hampton, Miles Davis/Quincy Jones at Montreaux, Tito Puente, Pat Metheny, Joe Henderson, Clark Terry, John Abercrombie, and John Scofield, as well as pop stars Bruce Hornsby, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Wonder, and the Dave Matthews Band. John D’earth is the co-founder of the Free Bridge Quintet, was the music director for Cosmology (which became the Thompson D’earth Band) with his late wife vocalist/songwriter Dawn Thompson, and also leads his own quartet/quintet/sextet. John D’earth also has written music for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the San Diego Symphony, and the Richmond Symphony.
Sue Foley – Canadian guitarist, singer, songwriter, and bandleader based in Austin, Texas. Her trademark instrument is a pink paisley Fender Telecaster. She is a veritable triple-threat as a guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist. As with many blues women of the past, Foley has a long history of defying convention and being a positive role model for aspiring young female musicians.
Mark Wood – Electric violinist who rose to fame as the original string master of the multi-platinum selling, internationally acclaimed Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Mark Wood is also an Emmy award-winning composer, producer, and music education advocate. In addition to his continued solo and commission work, Mark Wood has collaborated with some of the biggest names in music such as Billy Joel, Celine Dion, and Lenny Kravitz. As a member of his touring band, Wood had the honor of performing with Billy Joel for both historic final concerts at Shea stadium, sharing the stage with Paul McCartney, Steven Tyler, and Roger Daltry. He also starred in a national Pepsi TV commercial and has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Madison Square Garden. His commission credits include The Juilliard School and extensive TV broadcast music including The Winter Olympics and The Tour de France (for which he won an Emmy). Mark Wood began his career with a full scholarship to Juilliard School in New York and studied under Leonard Bernstein at the Tanglewood Music Program. He first turned the string establishment on its head in the early 1970’s with his invention of the first solid body electric violin. His company Wood Violins is a premier manufacturer of electric violins (including the Viper), violas, and cellos worldwide, and he holds the patent for the first-ever self-supporting violin.
David Broza – Internationally renowned singer-songwriter, recognized for his dynamic guitar performances and humanitarian efforts. His signature sound brings together the influence of Spanish flamenco, American folk, rock music, and poetry. David Broza is also the founder of the non-profit One Million Guitars, which gives underprivileged school children around the world hand-crafted guitars and the foundation of a music education.
Sammi Palinkas – Contemporary country singer-songwriter from Melbourne, Australia. Sammi Palinkas recently performed the National Anthem at the Victoria Football League Women’s Grand Final. Her first single “Meet in the Middle” debuted at #3 in the Australian iTunes Country Music chart. Her follow-up singles including “You’ve Lived” and “Don’t Blink” debuted at #5 in the Australian iTunes Country Music chart. Sammi Palinkas developed her songwriting craft in Australia and the U.S. (LA, New York, and Nashville), collaborating with renowned songwriters and producers including Andrew Bolooki (Selena Gomez, The Weeknd, Post Malone), Sally Barris (Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, LeeAnn Womack), and Templeton Thompson (Reba McEntire, Little Texas).
The Wildwoods – From the heart of Lincoln, Nebraska, the Wildwoods are a folk/Americana trio featuring the husband-and-wife duo Noah (guitar) and Chloe Gose (violin), alongside bassist Andrew Vaggalis. They have been fortunate to tour on international stages, carving out a unique place in the folk landscape. They have graced stages alongside artists such as Mighty Poplar, Sierra Ferrel, Aiofe O’Donovan, and Jamie Wyatt at concerts and festivals like Summerfest, FreshGrass, and the Oyster Ridge Music Festival.
Julia Lee – Cellist Julia Lee received her Bachelor of Music at The Juilliard School where she served as Principal Cellist of the Juilliard Orchestra for four years. As principal cellist, she played under the baton of Marin Aslop, David Robertson, Gustavo Dudamel, David Chan, Carlos Miguel Prieto, and Mei-Ann Chen. Julia Lee is currently pursuing a Master of Music at Juilliard where she studies cello with Joel Krosnick under a C.V. Starr Scholarship. Julia Lee has appeared in many festivals including The Perlman Music Program, La Jolla Music Society’s SummerFest, and the Aspen Music Festival. Julia Lee recently served as principal cello for Juilliard’s 2X4 Kennedy Center collaboration with Jamie Laredo and Jennifer Koh. Julia Lee’s touring schedule can be found at www.julialeecello.com
Berlin Philharmonic Horns – French Horn Section from the Berliner Philharmoniker in Germany. The ensemble’s debut CD Opera contains arrangements running the gamut from Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde to Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story. In their repertoire they have arrangements of symphonic works, but also original compositions for their special configuration – from composers including Brett Dean and Arturo Pantaleon. The Berlin Philharmonic Horns have performed at the Philharmonie in Berlin, Frankfurth’s Alte Oper, and on tour in Japan.
Ariel Quartet – The ensemble serves as the Faculty Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. The Quartet has toured with cellist Alisa Weilerstein and has performed frequently with pianists Jeremy Denk and Menahem Pressler. Formed in Israel as teenagers at the Jerusalem Academy Middle School of Music and Dance, the Ariel Quartet was named recipient of the prestigious Cleveland Quartet Award, granted by Chamber Music America in recognition of artistic achievement and career support. In addition, the Ariel Quartet has served as Quartet-in-Residence for the Steans Music Institute at the Ravinia Festival, the Yellow Barn Music Festival, the Perlman Music Program, as well as the Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence at the Caramoor Festival.
Marguerite Lynn Williams – Principal harpist for the Lyric Opera of Chicago orchestra, as well as a founding member of the Chicago Harp Quartet and International Chamber Artists, Marguerite Lynn Williams has garnered critical acclaim for her “seamless technical polish and lyric sensitivity” (Chicago Classical Review). She has appeared with the symphony orchestras of Chicago, Milwaukee, Minnesota, St. Louis, San Diego, and Toronto, and has been a featured performer and lecturer at American Harp Society conventions and the World Harp Congress in Vancouver. Marguerite Lynn Williams is a member of the faculty at both the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University and at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.
The Beacons – Rock band of gastroenterologists from the American College of Gastroenterology featuring Patrick Young, MD, FACG (bass and vocals), Costas Kefalas, MD, FACG (drums/percussion), John Saltzman, MD, FACG (guitar), Samir Shah, MD, FACG (vocals), Daniel Pambianco, MD, FACG (guitar), Benjamin Levy, MD (cello), and Thomas Ullman, MD (guitar).
Special Message from Katie Couric
A Message from Katie Couric to Colorectal Cancer Screening Champions and ACG
Concert Director: Benjamin Levy, MD
Benjamin Levy, MD, is a board-certified Gastroenterologist at the University of Chicago. His clinical projects focus on health care disparities and the development of colon cancer screening campaigns. Previously as Division Head of Gastroenterology at Mount Sinai Hospital, Dr. Levy organized a Gastroenterology clinic for refugees resettling in Chicago. Dr. Levy is a member of ACG’s Public Relations Committee and FDA-Related Matters Committee.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Levy started an international health education campaign named “Concerts & Cocktails” that teamed up musicians with physicians and nurses on the front lines. Dr. Levy was subsequently selected to be a TEDx speaker @TEDxWrigleyville – “Humanity: An Inside View of the Pandemic.” An avid cellist, Dr. Levy recently served as co-chair of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Soundpost Series.
Special Thanks
PianoForte Chicago
Rishi Productions
Ms. Katie Couric
Amy S. Oxentenko, MD, FACG, ACG President
Ronald Hsu, MD, FACG, ACG Governor Northern California
Reezwana Chowdhury, MD, FACG, Chair, ACG Public Relations Committee
ACG Public Relations Committee
About Colorectal Cancer Screening
In the United States, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer, yet it is one of the most preventable types of cancer. It is highly treatable and is often curable when caught early.
Screening colonoscopy can find growths in the colon called polyps so they can be removed before they turn into colorectal cancer. The most common symptom of early colon and rectal cancers is NO symptom, so it is important to get screened. No matter what your age, never ignore new or worrying bowel symptoms.