Warning: This article discusses cancer, which some readers may find distressing.
Despite the many challenges in the world today, a beacon of hope remains in the rising number of individuals overcoming cancer. Unfortunately, colon cancer doesn’t align with this positive trajectory.
Advancements in modern medicine have empowered us to combat numerous cancers, enabling millions to enjoy longer, healthier lives. However, colon cancer is an exception to this general trend of progress.
Scientific advancements have led to a significant decrease in cancer mortality across various age groups, including those cancers typically affecting younger individuals. Yet, while other cancer-related deaths decline, colon cancer fatalities continue to increase among those under 50.
Recent findings from the American Cancer Society indicate that colorectal cancer has emerged as the primary cause of cancer-related deaths among younger individuals, potentially due to a lack of awareness about its warning signs.
Scientists examining the factors behind early-onset cancer have studied the mortality rates of the five deadliest cancers in people under 50.
Remarkably, they discovered a 44 percent reduction in cancer deaths among this age group between 1990 and 2023, a trend observed in four of the five major cancer types.
While reduced smoking, early detection, and improved treatments have boosted survival rates for young cancer patients, the mortality rate for colorectal cancer has continued to rise by about two percent annually.
This increase has made colorectal cancer the deadliest cancer for individuals under 50, climbing from fifth place in 1990. It is now the leading cancer killer among young men and ranks just behind breast cancer for women. Traditionally, colorectal cancer was viewed as an age-related condition.
“They’re considered cancers of aging,” explained Jeff Meyerhardt MD, a gastrointestinal cancer expert, in Scientific American. “At least in the case of colorectal cancer, the age [of onset] was set for quite a while, until more recently.”
One reason for the increased mortality from colorectal cancer in younger Americans is the lower rate of early detection, a crucial factor for survival.
This is partly because people under 50 are less likely to seek medical attention when experiencing key symptoms such as bloating, blood in the stool, and painful bowel movements.
Standard screening for colorectal cancer typically starts at age 45, a guideline that has been lowered by five years in response to its growing occurrence in younger populations.
Researchers are also investigating why these cancers are developing in young individuals, as a diagnosis in someone in their 20s or 30s implies the tumor began forming during their teenage years.
Andrea Cercek, co-director of the Center for Young Onset Colorectal and Gastrointestinal Cancer, noted: “If you think about the typical process for, let’s say, a 22-year-old, the polyp would have had to start, literally, when they were 10.
“We’re very interested to see if there is something about the process that might be more accelerated, that might be different.”
Theories regarding the rise in colorectal cancer among young people often focus on broad changes over the past three decades, such as lifestyle, diet, and exposure to microplastics.
Cercek emphasized: “What’s happening ‘big picture’ is alarming. But it’s super important to acknowledge that survivorship for a young adult with colorectal cancer is life-changing. It’s incredibly difficult and can be incredibly taxing from an emotional, physical and financial standpoint.
“The more that we can diagnose early, the better it will be for our patients.”
If these issues have affected you and you wish to speak with someone confidentially, contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or use their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.