A new study finds that the incidence of colon cancer in children as young as 10 years old has increased significantly over the past 20 years.
The study, presented at the 2024 Digestive Disease Week conference in May, found that the incidence of colorectal cancer among people ages 10 to 44 increased between 1999 and 2020, with the greatest increase in those ages 10 to 24. It appeared that it was visible. .
“The increasing proportion of young people highlights the need for increased vigilance and early detection strategies across all age groups,” said study author Islam Mohamed, MD, an internal medicine resident at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. health.
The increasing number of cases of colorectal cancer in young people has been well documented in recent years. But experts are still trying to figure out what's behind this trend.
“There is a lot of research going on on this topic, but we don’t really know why the incidence of colon cancer is higher in younger people compared to people in their 30s. [or] “It was 40 years ago.” Dr. Suneel Kamath, a gastrointestinal oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic, said: health.
The new study highlights the need for further research into what factors may be contributing to the rapid rise in colorectal cancer among children, adolescents and young adults, experts agreed.
“The myth that you are too young to get cancer is not true.” Kamath said. “We need to be vigilant about cancer, even among young people, and invest more money into environment, diet and environmental research. [and] “This allows us to identify more quickly what other carcinogens may be responsible for increasing the risk of early-onset colorectal cancer.”
Here's what experts have to say about the new research, what we know about colon cancer trends, and warning signs of the disease that you should get screened for at any age.
Colorectal cancer still occurs most commonly in older people, but given reports that its incidence is increasing in younger people, Mohamed and his team wanted to further investigate incidence patterns in the United States.
“The goal of our research is to examine trends in younger age groups to shed light on these changing dynamics,” he explained.
For the study, his team analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Wonder database, which provides publicly available data on mortality rates, cancer incidence, census data, vaccinations, and more. They tracked colon cancer rates from 1999 to 2020 in people across seven age groups, from 10 to 44 years old.
Mohammed's team found that while there was an overall rise in incidence rates across all age groups during this period, rates rose more sharply in younger age groups.
Although the rate increase is steepest for those ages 10 to 24, it is important to note that middle-aged and older people are still more likely to develop colorectal cancer. The incidence rate in this age group increased at a slightly slower rate.
For example, in 1999, approximately 14.6 out of 100,000 people aged 40 to 44 had colon cancer. In 2020, that number was 20 in 100,000. In the 15-19 age group, the incidence rate changed from 0.3 per 100,000 to 1.3 per 100,000 over the same period.
Researchers are still trying to figure out why the incidence is increasing, but the known risk factors for colon cancer are thought to be the same in both older and younger people, Kamath said. He explained that the causes include obesity, a diet high in processed foods and red meat, a sedentary lifestyle, excessive drinking, and smoking.
But these established risk factors for colorectal cancer do not fully explain the increased incidence in people under 45, said Dr. Hina Said, associate director of radiation oncology at the Lynn Cancer Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. health.
“These factors alone do not explain the overall trend,” explained Saeed, who was not involved in the study. He said: “It is suggested that environmental factors and certain genetic conditions, such as Lynch syndrome or a family history of colon cancer, may play a role.”
This new study and others like it, while concerning, do not yet provide enough context to suggest that children should be screened for colon cancer.
“The number of cases of colorectal cancer in young people has been increasing steadily over 20 to 30 years, but it is not yet frequent enough to warrant widespread screening,” Kamath said. “But we can do a few things.”
In addition to investing in research into risk factors for colorectal cancer in young people, people need to be more aware of the disease generally.
“We can educate the public and the medical community, especially primary care providers, about symptoms such as bloody stools, constipation that lasts for months, loose stools, and constipation. [and] Unexplained weight loss should be investigated through colonoscopy, even in young people,” Kamath said.
Guidelines recommend that people start getting colonoscopies at age 45, but having more public conversations about colon cancer could help people figure out whether they should get screened at a younger age, Kamath added. Yes.
Because so many people are reluctant to share information related to their colon health, it's likely that a significant number of people don't know they need to be screened for early colon cancer.
“I think most people don’t tell their families that they’ve had polyps removed. [and] Many people do not tell their families that they have cancer,” Kamath said. “The reality is that more of the population than we think are at high risk for cancer and need screening. “There are many people who could be screened for and prevent early-onset cancer sooner.”
Saeed said doctors need to revise the way they address colon cancer risk in young people. But experts aren't yet sure what this will look like.
“The incidence of colon cancer in young people is increasing. [suggest] “We emphasized that colon cancer is not just a disease of the elderly,” he explained. “Prevention, treatment and survival strategies may need to be adapted to younger populations.”