Why is colon cancer more and more diagnosed in young people?

The incidence of colorectal cancer is decreasing in the elderly, but this good trend is clouded by bad news: the opposite picture is observed among young patients. The risk of this type of cancer is increased even for people who have not turned more than 20 years old.

Statistics data

Compared to people born in the 1950s (then the incidence of colorectal cancer was the lowest), those born in 1990 have a double risk of developing colon cancer and a fourfold risk of developing colon cancer, according to a new study conducted by the American Cancer Society (ACS). In fact, three out of ten diagnoses of colorectal cancer are currently being administered to patients younger than 55 years of age, and this is a problem, since a screening procedure for detecting the disease is not recommended until age 50. After reaching this age, men and women should undergo a screening procedure every 5 years. If the result is positive, patients are given colonoscopy, but every 10 years. These studies can detect both benign polyps and malignant neoplasms.

However, 90% of colorectal cancer cases are diagnosed in people over 50, and only about 10 percent occur in young people, but the risk for this latter group increases dramatically, according to lead author Rebecca Siegel.

In addition, colorectal cancer develops very slowly, over the years. Therefore, a malignant tumor can appear at a young age, but it is diagnosed after 50 years, when the patient undergoes a planned screening procedure.

Why cancer develops in young people

The reasons for such a sharp increase in morbidity are not yet clear, but researchers say that behavioral factors may be partially responsible for the increase in the number of cases of the disease. Some factors that increase the risk of developing this type of cancer include overweight, sedentary lifestyle, consumption of red meat in large quantities, as well as low consumption of fruits, vegetables and dairy products.

Because these factors also cause excess weight, it is not surprising that the incidence of colorectal cancer increases in parallel with the obesity epidemic. It's no secret that this problem has become common for the population of developed countries. Worse yet, children are increasingly affected by obesity, which means that after 10-20 years we can face an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer in adolescents and toddlers. This once again confirms the theory that factors that lead to obesity (such as low physical activity and unhealthy eating) are also responsible for the fact that colon cancer is more common in young people.

When to do screening

While the study found that the incidence of cancer is increasing in young people, this is probably not enough to change the doctors' advice on screening. Nevertheless, in the USA, for example, the committee of the American Cancer Society is currently considering this recommendation.

The advice for screening should be based on the balance between the maximum benefit of the procedure and minimizing its harm.

Symptoms of cancer

At the same time, scientists once again emphasize that all people should know the symptoms of colon cancer, such as blood in the stool, abdominal pain, and changes in the structure of the intestine.

In addition, if someone from family members has already been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, it is necessary to start screening procedure from 40 years. It is also desirable to pay attention to inflammatory bowel diseases, since they can increase the risk of developing cancer of the colon and rectum.