Colorectal cancer rates rise among younger adults, experts urge early screening

PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Colorectal cancer diagnoses and deaths are increasing among younger adults.

A report from the American Cancer Society indicated that one in five people diagnosed are under the age of 55.

As March marks Colon Cancer Awareness Month, physicians at Kaiser Permanente Northwest emphasize the importance of regular screenings to detect colon cancer early and save lives.

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men under 50.

This concerning trend prompted the American Cancer Society to lower the recommended age for colorectal screening to 45 in 2018. Regular screening is considered a crucial tool for early detection or prevention of colorectal cancer.

“Colon cancer can happen to anyone at any age,” said Dr. David Parsons, a colon and rectal surgeon with Kaiser Permanente Northwest. “There can be no symptoms with colorectal cancer, so it’s not advisable to wait until symptoms like changes in stool, abdominal pain, or bleeding present themselves. Early detection is important. Colon cancer is preventable and treatable with proper screenings.”

Colorectal cancer symptoms often do not appear until the disease is advanced, making it more challenging to treat. A fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is highlighted as an effective and convenient screening option that can be conducted at home, aiding in early detection when the cancer is more treatable.

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The American Cancer Society reported that in 2023, 20% of colon cancer diagnoses were in patients under 55, nearly double the rate in 1995. While the exact cause of the rise in young adults is unknown, factors such as obesity, smoking, heavy alcohol use, and diets high in red meats and processed meats have been associated with the disease.

Processed meats include bacon, sausage, lunch/deli meats and hot dogs. Red meat is defined as beef, pork and lamb. Research from Fred Hutch Cancer Center genetic and molecular epidemiologist, Dr. Rikki Peters, showed that although eating red meat can increase the risk for colorectal cancer by 30%, and processed meat by 40%, she said she knows that genetic background may play a role, as “we know that not everyone who eats bacon almost every day will develop colorectal cancer.”

Despite the increasing rates among younger individuals, the overall death rate from colorectal cancer has been declining for several decades. This decline is attributed to the increased detection and removal of colorectal polyps through screening, preventing them from developing into cancers. Additionally, many colorectal cancers are now being found earlier, making them easier to treat.

However, incidence rates in people under 50 have been rising by 1% to 2% annually since the mid-1990s. A 2022 study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention noted that a younger generation of Americans is being diagnosed with advanced stages of colorectal, rectal, and colon cancer.

The distribution of colorectal cancer is uneven across U.S. subpopulations, with significant differences in incidence, cancer stage, and mortality by race and ethnicity.

After Black Americans, Native Americans have the second highest colorectal cancer incidence rate at 39.3 per 100,000 people. Asian and Pacific Islanders have an incidence rate of 31.7 per 100,000 people, and Hispanic people have an incidence rate of 33.5 per 100,000 people.