Rising Colon Cancer rates may signal earlier detection success

A huge win for public health in the US.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the US.

New study data shows a recent surge in colorectal cancer cases among key age group in the US, but here’s the twist: it’s likely due to earlier detection through screening, which is a major win for public health!

According to the report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, from 2004 to 2009, colorectal cancer cases in 45–49-year-olds rose steadily.

Then, cases skyrocketed from 2019 to 2022 due to a surge in early-stage cancers.

This coincides with the recommended screening age dropping from 50 to 45.

Rise in Colorectal cancer cases linked to screening

Researchers think the increase is likely due to screening catching cancers early, not a rise in cases overall.

The American Cancer Society updated its colorectal cancer screening age recommendation in 2018, followed by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in 2021.

During this period, new cases of early colorectal cancer in younger adults rose sharply, from 9 per 100,000 people in 2019 to 17.5 per 100,000 in 2022.

Interestingly, diagnoses of advanced colon cancers didn’t see a similar increase.

Screening methods

Screening methods like colonoscopies and stool tests can help detect cancer early, making it more treatable.

Is Colorectal cancer just an "old person's disease"?

Colon cancer used to hit older folks harder, but now nearly a third of rectal cancer diagnoses are in people under 55. 

And get this- the biggest jump in colorectal cancer cases is in people in their 20s!

These cancers can be super aggressive, too.

Colorectal cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men younger than 50, and it ranks second only to breast cancer in women younger than 50. 

Chadwick Boseman, famous as Marvel's Black Panther was only 39 when he was diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer, and he battled it 14 years as it advanced and eventually too