Alarming Rise in Colorectal Cancer Among Young Adults: A Call for Earlier Screening
Colorectal cancer (CRC), once considered a disease primarily affecting older adults, is now increasingly diagnosed in younger populations. Recent studies have revealed a disturbing trend: while overall CRC rates have decreased in individuals over 50, thanks largely to increased screening efforts, rates among adults under 50 have risen dramatically.
A landmark study published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians in 2023 reported that the proportion of CRC cases diagnosed in adults younger than 55 years increased from 11% in 1995 to 20% in 2019 [1]. Even more concerning, the incidence of advanced-stage disease (regional or distant stage) in this age group rose from 52% in the mid-1990s to 60% in 2019[1].
This shift in demographics has prompted medical organizations to revise their screening guidelines. In 2021, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended age to start CRC screening from 50 to 45 for average-risk adults[2].
The reasons behind this troubling trend are not fully understood, but researchers suspect that factors such as obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and changes in diet may play a role. A study published in JAMA Network Open in 2022 found that individuals born after 1990 have double the risk of colon cancer and quadruple the risk of rectal cancer compared to those born in 1950[3].
These findings underscore the critical importance of awareness, early detection, and screening. As Dr. Kimmie Ng, director of the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, states, “We need to educate the public and primary care doctors about this rising incidence in young people”[4].
With the advent of new, non-invasive screening methods like blood-based tests, there’s hope for increased compliance with screening recommendations. Early detection remains the most effective way to improve outcomes for CRC patients of all ages.
References:
[1] Siegel, R. L., Miller, K. D., Wagle, N. S., & Jemal, A. (2023). Cancer statistics, 2023. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 73(1), 17–48. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21763
[2] US Preventive Services Task Force. (2021). Screening for Colorectal Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA, 325(19), 1965–1977. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.6238
[3] Lui, R. N., Tsoi, K. K. F., Ho, J. M. W., Lo, C. M., Chan, F. C. H., Kyaw, M. H., & Sung, J. J. Y. (2022). Global Increasing Incidence of Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Across 5 Continents: A Joinpoint Regression Analysis of 1,922,167 Cases. JAMA Network Open, 5(3), e222739. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.2739
[4] Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. (2022). Colorectal Cancer: Why Is It Rising in Young Adults? Retrieved from https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2022/03/colorectal-cancer-why-is-it-rising-in-young-adults/
