Colorectal cancer is rising among younger adults, challenging long-held beliefs that it primarily affects older populations. Once considered a disease of those over 50, cases in people under 45 have steadily increased, prompting concern among oncologists and researchers.
While the exact cause remains unclear, experts point to factors such as diet, lifestyle or environmental factors. This trend has led to updated screening guidelines and a growing push for earlier detection and awareness.
“We don’t have a great idea yet as to why this is happening, but we have a lot of theories and some data across multiple institutions” said Ashwin Somasundaram, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the UNC School of Medicine and a member of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.
As more young patients face colorectal cancer diagnoses, the need for better education, research, and treatment options becomes urgent. Many younger individuals are diagnosed at later stages due to a lack of routine screening and awareness of symptoms.
“Given recent trends, we are wondering, at least from a cancer perspective, if we should be screening earlier than we have been, especially since we have new technologies, like stool tests, that have gotten much more sophisticated in detecting cancer,” Somasundaram added.
With early detection and advances in treatment, survival rates improve, underscoring the importance of proactive healthcare and continued research into the disease’s shifting patterns.