Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer often has no symptoms, which is one reason being tested is so important — even for people who feel perfectly healthy - Katie Couric

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Colorectal cancer is killing more 20- to 30-year-olds. We now have one clue about why

It’s one of the mysteries that has puzzled cancer epidemiologists: Why are younger and younger people becoming sick with colorectal cancer?

In 2017, researchers at the American Cancer Society showed colorectal cancer is rising sharply in younger generations. For people in their 20s and 30s, colon cancer rates increased 1 to 2 percent between the mid-1990s to 2013. And rectal cancer rate shot up even more dramatically — rising 3 percent per year in the same age cohort.

Overall, those born in 1990 have double the risk of developing colon cancer and four times the risk of getting rectal cancer compared to those born around 1950. So in response to the alarming trend,…

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Why Are More Young People Getting Cancer?

Studies of cancer genomes have also shown that a pattern of mutations associated with a bacterial toxin called colibactin are more common in early-onset colorectal cancer patients than in older patients. Some strains of E. coli and other bacteria carry an extra set of genes that enable them to produce this toxin, which mutates DNA in healthy colon cells.

Colorectal cancer is rising among Gen X, Y & Z. Here are 5 ways to protect yourself

Statistically, people in their 20s and 30s are much less likely to get colorectal cancer compared to people 50 and older, but cases in this age group are rising. They're expected to increase by 90% by 2030, says Dr. Kimmie Ng, who directs the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center at Dana Farber Cancer Center.

Articles of Interest

Can A Simple Poop Test Replace Your Colonoscopy?

There are three main ways to detect colon cancer. A colonoscopy is accurate but expensive ($2,200 on average). A fecal immunochemical test, which looks for hidden blood in a stool sample, costs about $60 but is more likely to miss cancer and must be taken every year. Then there is Exact's Cologuard for $649.

Charcuterie’s link to colon cancer confirmed by French authorities

Blow for industry as government backs WHO data and vows to cut additives in ham and cured sausages.

Colorectal Cancer Is Now the Top Cause of Cancer Death in Younger People

Cancer has long been thought of as a disease of aging. Rising rates of some cancers among younger people, however, have upended the longtime stereotype, worrying health authorities and doctors and triggering research into possible causes and solutions. As colorectal cancer among younger people has emerged as a bigger threat, medical groups have lowered the recommended age for colonoscopies that can detect the disease while there are good odds for effective treatment. Yet not enough people under 50 are getting the screenings, doctors said, prompting calls for a redoubling of efforts to educate doctors and nurses about the need to talk with patients.

From red meat to alcohol: the factors that affect bowel cancer risk

Rates of bowel cancer in young people are rising more sharply in England than in many other countries around the world, a study has found. Experts are still in the early stages of understanding the reasons behind the rise but here we look at some of the factors that could be contributing.

Is Eating Deli Meat Really That Bad for You?

Even small amounts of processed meat increase the risk of colorectal cancer.

More Young People Than Ever Will Get Colorectal Cancer This Year

Colon and rectal cancers are increasing among people younger than 50. Experts have a few ideas about why.

What Young People Need to Know About Colon Cancer

Most cases of colon and rectal cancer are indeed found in people 50 and over. But there has been a sharp increase of colorectal cancer in adults as young as their 20s and 30s, with the proportion of cases found in adults under 50 increasing to 11 percent in 2013, up from 6 percent in 1990, according to the American Cancer Society.

Why certain diets may increase your cancer risk

The link between inflammatory diets and colorectal cancer, explained.

Why Millennials Are Facing Cancer Earlier Than Their Parents’ Generation

For years, we understood cancer. Or, at least, we thought we did. We figured things like bad genes and even worse habits, like smoking, were combining to create tumors that needed to be obliterated with radiation. But cancer rates are spiking among millennials, whose ages range from their late 20s to early 40s.

A Cancer Trial’s Unexpected Result: Remission in Every Patient

The study was small, and experts say it needs to be replicated. But for 18 people with rectal cancer, the outcome led to “happy tears.”

Aspirin can have ‘huge effect’ in stopping colorectal cancer returning, study finds

Swedish researchers find low daily dose can halve risk in post-surgery patients with specific gene mutations.

Bacon Causes Cancer? Sort of. Not Really. Ish.

Perhaps no two words together are more likely to set the internet aflame than BACON and CANCER. So when the World Health Organization classified processed meat as a group 1 carcinogen, the same category as tobacco— Hold on. Let me stop right here. Eating bacon is not as bad as smoking when it comes to cancer. Just no.

Colorectal Cancer Screening Saves Lives

I hope readers — after hearing about the wild cost variations for colonoscopy and the horror stories of people getting stuck with sizable portions of huge bills — don’t throw the proverbial baby out with the bath water by questioning the essential value of colorectal cancer screening.

Colorectal Cancers Are Increasing in Millennials—7 Symptoms to Know

You’d be hard-pressed to find many millennials concerned about colorectal cancer. (Since cancer that affects the colon, aka large intestine, and rectum, which connects the colon to the anus, are so similar, they're often grouped together.) After all, these diseases largely impact older people. But a surprising new study from the American Cancer Society found that, while the vast majority of colorectal cancer cases are in older people, they’re sharply increasing among twenty- and thirtysomethings, too.

Freenome Sets Sights On Blood Test To Detect Colon Cancer

What makes Freenome different is that instead of looking only for circulating DNA from tumors, as other firms are doing, the company is looking at other chemicals in the blood that may mark a tumor's presence, too. It detects patterns in all these chemicals using artificial intelligence.

I Was Diagnosed With Colon Cancer at 32. Here Are the First Symptoms I Had

I learned that colorectal cancer is very slow-growing. I could have had cancer for 8 to 10 years, potentially all of my 20s, without knowing it. With colon cancer, you usually don’t start having noticeable (or even severe) symptoms until it’s progressed to stage three or four. Plus, the symptoms, like nausea, constipation, diarrhea, or difficulty going to the bathroom, can be due to so many other conditions—some serious, like ovarian cancer, but others more benign, such as IBS.

New research drives home how crazy it is that triclosan is still in hundreds of everyday products

The antimicrobial chemical triclosan is in thousands of products that we use daily: hand soaps, toothpastes, body wash, kitchenware, and even some toys. Work in our lab suggests that this compound may have widespread health risks, including aggravating inflammation in the gut and promoting the development of colon cancer by altering the gut microbiota, the community of microbes found in our intestines.

Study: Fixing a single gene turns colorectal cancer cells into normal cells

And the finding has implications for other types of cancer. Pancreatic cancer, for instance, presents a similar case, where mutations in a single gene are found in 90% of tumors. A similar kind of investigation could yield treatments for it, too.

Study: More Than 14,000 Americans Die Each Year From This Preventable Cancer

Not all medical tests justify the risks they pose. In fact, some can be downright dangerous. Whole-body CT scans, for example, have been known to expose healthy patients to cancer-causing radiation. Then again, there are some tests so safe and so necessary that it can be dangerous, even deadly, for patients not to participate. Screening for colon cancer is one example.

The American Cancer Society Wants You to Start Colorectal Cancer Screening Earlier

The ACS is now recommending that adults at average risk of colorectal cancer start regular screening for it at age 45. The new recommendations are a "much needed change," Scott R. Steele, M.D., colorectal surgeon and chairman of the Department of Colorectal Surgery at Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF. “Our goal is to prevent colorectal cancer, or at a minimum detect it at an early stage. This is a collaborative, proactive and well-thought out change in the recommendations and hopefully will lead to the intended result.”

These Are the Most Common Colon Cancer Symptoms in Young People

It’s on the rise in younger folks, and while you shouldn’t panic, it’s still good to know the signs.

This Is What It's Like to Be Young and Living With Colon Cancer

Despite her health challenges, Betancourt says she’s the happiest she's ever been, adding that she’s optimistic about the future. “I feel really empowered and grateful and blessed that I’m strong enough to tell my story,” she says. “Nobody likes to talk about their bowel movements, but for me it’s good to spread the word.”

Vitamins Will Not Keep You Out of My Cancer Clinic

As a medical oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal cancers at a research institution, every day I see patients suffering from terminal colorectal cancer who thought they could ignore their doctors’ advice and protect themselves from cancer by taking vitamins and other supplements. The medical literature has repeatedly proven them wrong.

Resources

ColoGuard

Cologuard is an easy to use, noninvasive colon cancer screening test based on the latest advances in stool DNA science. It can be used by men and women 50 years of age and older who are at average risk for colon cancer. Cologuard finds both cancer and precancer.

Fight Colorectal Cancer

We’re fighting for a future where every person diagnosed with colorectal cancer has time to create memories, explore treatment, and live fully.

StopColonCancerNow

Colon cancer is both preventable and highly treatable when detected early. There are a number of screening options to check for colon cancer, but a colonoscopy is considered the gold standard.

Colon Cancer Foundation

To lead the fight against colorectal cancer (CRC) by supporting research that will lead to the prevention of, therapy for, and eradication of CRC in our lifetime, educating the public and the healthcare community about CRC and the most effective strategies for preventing the disease and advocating for equal access to quality of life-affirming, fertility-preserving treatment for all patients and caregivers.

Colorectal Cancer Alliance

The Colorectal Cancer Alliance is the nation's leading nonprofit dedicated to colorectal cancer. Together with a nation of passionate allies, we advocate for prevention, magnify support, and accelerate research to end this disease.

ColoRectal Cancer Community

Find clear, compassionate information on colorectal cancer—covering symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and life after cancer. Whether you're facing a new diagnosis or supporting a loved one, our resources help you feel informed and empowered.

Pelican Cancer Foundation

Pelican Cancer Foundation is an education and medical research charity, and the only charity in the UK dedicated solely to the research, training and advancement of precision surgery for bowel cancer and its associated secondary diseases. Surgery often remains the most effective treatment for bowel cancer.

Bowel Cancer UK

Bowel Cancer UK is a leading charity dedicated to raising awareness of bowel cancer, improving the quality of life of those affected by the disease, and, ultimately, reducing deaths from the second most common cause of cancer death in the UK.

Colon Cancer Coalition

We invite you to Get Your Rear in Gear and bring understanding, raise awareness, and eliminate the fear of colon cancer. Our grassroots efforts to drive early intervention and detection of colon cancer on a national level are collaborative at heart; we know change comes as we partner with others to connect people to resources that help them live strong and healthy lives.

Colorectal Cancer