Colorectal cancer now leading cause of cancer death in adults under 50
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Colorectal cancer is now officially the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women aged 50 and younger; this is a significant increase from the 1990s, when it was the fifth deadliest cancer.
That’s according to research from the American Cancer Society published Thursday in JAMA.
Researchers analyzed national death data for all types of cancer for decades and found that colorectal cancer now kills more people under age 50 than any other type, including lung, breast, brain and leukemia.
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Cancer deaths have generally been decreasing in this age group since 1990; There is a total decrease of approximately 44%.
Colorectal cancer was the only major cancer with an increase in mortality in people under 50 during this period, the researchers noted.
Colorectal cancer is now officially the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women aged 50 and younger. (iStock)
colorectal cancer research Dr., medical director of the General Mass Cancer Center Young Adult Colorectal Cancer Center, which is not affiliated with ACS. According to Aparna Parikh, the community is working to determine why rates are increasing among young adults.
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“We don’t fully understand why yet, but it appears to be an interaction between the person’s risk factors, their overall makeup, and their early exposure,” he previously told Fox News Digital. “Exposures include dietary exposure, environmental exposure, and possible antibiotic exposures, as well as lifestyle factors in the right host.”
Colorectal cancer is the only major cancer that has seen an increase in mortality in people under 50 over the past three decades. (iStock)
Some primary risk factors include family history, obesity, smoking, heavy drinking, diet high in red and processed meats, inflammatory bowel disease, and personal history or family history of polyps.
To reduce cases in young patients, the doctor emphasized the importance of raising public awareness about the disease and early recognition of symptoms.
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Some early warning signs of colorectal cancer include changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, fatigue, and weight loss.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that average-risk adults begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45. (iStock)
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The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that average-risk adults begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45 and continue until age 75.
Those with a genetic or family history may be advised to be screened earlier.
The agency says screening decisions for ages 75 to 85 should be based on each individual’s history, preferences and overall health.
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“The gold standard is colonoscopy — but there are also stool-based tests that are appropriate,” Parikh said. “If you have symptoms such as weight loss, blood in your stool, anemia, or a change in bowel habits, you should go straight for a colonoscopy.”
