Colorectal cancer rates have been rising for decades in people who are too young to get regular check-ups, a new study finds.
It is recommended that you have regular check-ups every 10 years starting at age 45. The new study focused on rates of the disease in children and adults ages 10 to 44, using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Researchers found that cases of colorectal cancer are increasing in all age groups.
“This means there is a trend,” said Dr. Islam Mohamed, an internal medicine resident at the University of Missouri-Kansas City who led the study. “We don’t yet know what to make of it. It could be due to lifestyle factors or genetics, but there are trends.”
The findings have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, but will be presented at the Digestive Disease Week conference in Washington, DC, later this month.
Despite the increase, the overall number of infections among people under 40 remained low. Cases in people under 30 remained extremely rare.
But with interest rates this low to begin with, the hike could be even more significant.
The study found that the number of colorectal cancer diagnoses in children aged 10 to 14 jumped from 0.1 per 100,000 in 1999 to 0.6 per 100,000 in 2020, an increase of 500%. It has been found. The number of infections among 15- to 19-year-olds jumped more than 300%, from 0.3 to 1.3 per 100,000 people. The number of infections among people aged 20 to 24 increased from 0.7 to 2 per 100,000 people, an increase of 185%.
“If you start with a very rare disease in a 15-year-old and add a couple of cases, that rate will increase significantly,” said Dr. Folasade May, an associate professor of medicine at the University of England. Vache and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Los Angeles, California.
Learn more about colon cancer in young people
- Colon cancer is killing more young men and women than ever before, new report finds
- New study identifies early symptoms as colon cancer spreads among younger people
- People who got colon cancer in their 20s or 30s talk about what it was like to get colon cancer.
The rate of increase for people aged 25 and over was small, but in 1999 it began to increase faster than for younger groups. People aged 25 and over saw a slower, but still significant, increase in cases. The number of people too young to be tested regularly (40 to 44) increased by 45% in 2020, from about 15 per 100,000 to about 21 per 100,000.
“We know this disease is age-related. As you get older, you’re more likely to develop polyps, and those polyps are more likely to develop into cancer,” May said. said.
May said while the overall trend was worrying, it was reassuring that the oldest age group had the lowest rate of increase, as they had the highest number of infections. Data remains important, she said.
“It’s bad for 15- to 19-year-olds to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer,” May said.
“Changing the face of colorectal cancer”
Over the past few decades, the incidence of colorectal cancer has increased in people under the age of 50. At the same time, cases and deaths from cancer, once thought to only affect older people, are declining in people over 60.
“This reflects the changing landscape of colorectal cancer,” said Dr. Christopher Liu, co-director of gastrointestinal medical oncology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Rising incidence among younger people means the risk of the disease is likely to be higher throughout life, a phenomenon called the birth cohort effect, Liu said. This means that a 40-year-old born in 1984 has a higher risk of colorectal cancer than a 40-year-old born in 1950.
“Once you turn 50, your risk doesn’t go away; you’re always at risk,” he says. “As the younger population ages, we are concerned that cases of colorectal cancer will increase in the groups that are being screened.”
Doctors are still searching for answers as to why cases of colorectal cancer are increasing among younger people. But the reason doesn’t seem to be genetic, May said.
“There are some cancers that are now developing earlier that are probably related. We don’t know why, but what we all agree is that it’s environmental rather than genetic. “I think it could be related to recently developed food processing methods or exposure to plastics,” she said.
Experts agreed that the increase in colorectal cancer rates among young people is concerning, but did not support lowering the screening age for people at average risk. In 2018, the American Cancer Society: recommendation Targeted for periodic examinations between the ages of 50 and 45.
“Before we talk about lowering the screening age from 45, we need to get these people tested. Less than 60% of people over 45 are getting tested,” May said. he said.
Liu said this data supports the importance of everyone of all ages being aware of the warning signs of colorectal cancer, and that doctors should treat even younger patients if symptoms appear. He also said that he understands the importance of testing.
“Younger patients have longer wait times to go to the doctor, and because many patients are told they are too young to have colorectal cancer, they also have longer wait times to confirm a diagnosis,” Liu said. says. “We don’t want our patients to go through that anymore, especially based on this data.”
The most common symptoms reported by patients diagnosed with early-onset colorectal cancer in this study were changes in bowel habits (constipation or diarrhea), abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, and signs of anemia. Liu said if someone, especially a young person, has bloody stools, that’s a reason to make an appointment to see a doctor.
One of the most powerful things a person can do for their health is to understand their family history, Mohamed said.
“Knowing your family history can give you valuable insight into your own health,” he said, noting that people with a family history of colorectal cancer have a 10-year lifespan before a sibling or parent is diagnosed. He pointed out that people need to start getting tested in advance.
