May 15, 2024 – Despite encouraging declines in overall colorectal cancer rates over the past two decades, one group stands out as an exception. These are Americans under 45 years of age.
From 1999 to 2020, the number of cases of colon cancer increased by a whopping 333% among 15- to 19-year-olds and 185% among 20- to 24-year-olds, according to a new study presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2024. Major medical conference held in Washington, DC.
Even though these rates are high, the number of people affected in this age group is still small compared to the proportion of Americans over 45, said Dr. Loren Laine, professor of medicine (digestive diseases) at Yale School of Medicine. This is a news briefing previewing the research.
“The trend is amazing. [but] “The actual number of colorectal cancer cases in children and adolescents is not high enough to suggest widespread screening,” agreed lead researcher Dr. Islam Mohammed, a resident in internal medicine at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
For example, one in 333,000 adolescents ages 15 to 19 developed colon cancer in 1999. Colon cancer has become more common in 2020, with 1 in 77,000 teens developing it.
At the same time, the number of cases among young adults aged 20 to 24 increased from less than 1 per 100,000 to 2 in 2020.
Although the risk is relatively low in absolute terms, experts are focusing on why the risk rate is increasing. It’s also about raising awareness. When experienced by people under 45 years of age Colon Cancer Symptoms Symptoms such as blood in the stool, abdominal pain or changes in bowel habits should be treated, Laine said.
“If you have symptoms such as rectal bleeding, you should not take it lightly. It is still very unlikely that they will develop colon cancer. But obviously we still shouldn’t ignore it completely,” Laine said.
“Colorectal cancer is no longer considered a disease of the elderly,” Mohammed said at the briefing. “It is important for the public to be aware of the signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer.”
Mohamed and colleagues studied colon cancer cases using the following figures: CDC Wonder Database, a central database of public health information. They calculated the rate of increase by comparing rates from 1999 to 2020.
Colorectal cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. it is currently 3rd place Data from the American Cancer Society shows an increase in new cases and cancer-related deaths, with the exception of some skin cancers.
Some risk factors may change.
The incidence of colorectal cancer among young people has “continued to increase. It could be related to environmental factors, lifestyle factors and genetic factors as well,” Mohammed said. “It could also mean that we are doing better. “Maybe we’re doing more screening of patients, more screening of patients at higher risk of colorectal cancer in younger populations.”
There are ways to help lower your risk of colon cancer, including losing weight.
“I think adopting a healthy lifestyle would be an excellent approach to curbing the rising incidence of colon cancer as we have seen. metabolic syndrome big [factor].” Mohammed said you can also eat a balanced diet, get regular physical activity and limit alcohol consumption.
“There is also debate about antibiotic use and dietary additives. “This could potentially, but not definitively, contribute to colon cancer risk,” he said.
On the other hand, up to one-third of early-onset colorectal cancer cases are linked to factors that cannot be changed. Examples include a family history of colon cancer, the presence of inflammatory bowel disease, or certain types of cancer associated with genetic mutations. “If you think about it, most young people [with colorectal cancer] There is probably a genetic syndrome,” Laine said. “Honestly, the biggest problem is finding better ways to identify families with genetic syndromes. That’s probably the biggest message.”
Risks vary depending on age
In addition to the increase in the 15-19 age group and the 20-24 age group, the 2020 percentages compared to 1999 are:
- 68% increase among 25-29 year olds
- 71% increase among 30-34 year olds
- 58% increase among 35-39 year olds
- 45% increase among 40-44 year olds
“All of these findings highlight the urgent need for public awareness and personalized screening approaches,” Mohamed said. “This is especially true in younger populations, where we saw the greatest increase in colorectal cancer incidence.”
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowers recommended age for colorectal cancer screening From 50 to 45 Mohammed suggested more targeted testing for people under 45 who are at higher risk.
“I think it would also be really helpful to stay informed about the increasing incidence and the latest research and recommendations in terms of colorectal cancer prevention and screening.”
