Colorectal cancer is striking younger adults at alarming rates, driven by lifestyle and genetic factors.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) develops when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably in the colon or rectum, forming tumors that can eventually invade nearby tissues or spread to other parts of the body. It typically begins as small, benign growths called polyps, which can take years to become cancerous.
Globally, CRC ranks among the top three most common cancers, affecting millions of people each year.
Traditionally viewed as a condition that primarily affects older adults, it is now emerging in far younger populations, raising growing concern among doctors and researchers.
Surge in Early-Onset CRC
A study published in The Lancet Oncology has revealed a sharp rise in colorectal cancer diagnoses among adults under 50. Between 2013 and 2017, 27 of the 50 countries studied reported growing rates of early-onset cases. While North America and Europe continue to show high incidence, similar trends are now appearing across Eastern Europe, South-Central and Southeastern Asia, and South America.
Experts suggest that this shift may be linked to modern dietary habits, urbanization, and environmental influences. Preventive measures such as earlier screenings, improved nutrition, and greater public awareness are seen as essential to reversing the trend. Without these interventions, researchers warn that cases could continue to climb in the coming decades.
Life Factors Fuel Rise
Multiple studies suggest that modern eating patterns are contributing to the surge. High consumption of ultra-processed foods, red and processed meats, and sugary drinks has been linked to increased inflammation and a greater vulnerability to cancer.
For example, a study from Kazakhstan found that participants consumed nearly twice the World Cancer Research Fund’s recommended weekly limit of 500 grams of meat. Moreover, only 8.6% of respondents met the recommended intake for fish, highlighting potential nutritional deficiencies that may further elevate cancer risk.
Obesity, another key risk factor, has also been linked to CRC. Excess body fat promotes chronic inflammation and disrupts metabolic processes, yet the full extent of obesity’s role may be underestimated. A review of 18 studies found that many CRC patients experience unintentional weight loss before diagnosis, meaning traditional measures of obesity’s impact could be complex.
Genetics Drive Inherited Risk
Early-onset CRC is frequently associated with hereditary cancer syndromes, including Lynch syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis, according to Dr. Alexei Tsukanov, head of the Laboratory of Genetics at the National Medical Research Center for Radiology. These conditions result from genetic mutations in tumor-suppressor genes, increasing the likelihood of developing CRC at a young age.
Early detection is critical, yet many individuals ignore warning signs such as persistent changes in bowel habits, blood in the stool, unexplained weight loss, and abdominal pain.
Dr. Tsukanov stated the importance of genetic testing for families with a history of CRC. “Identifying a hereditary mutation allows us to implement lifelong clinical monitoring and early intervention, significantly improving survival rates,” he explains.
Innovative technologies like BGI Genomics’ COLOTECT Stool DNA Methylation Test identifies CRC-related genetic markers (SDC2, ADHFE1, and PPP2R5C) through stool DNA analysis, offer a promising solution for non-invasive early detection.
Public Awareness for Early Screening
In many nations, including those in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, CRC screening programs are inconsistent. Some countries, such as Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Latvia, and Georgia, have structured national screening initiatives, while others rely on opportunistic testing, leading to gaps in early detection.
“To improve early detection, we must educate both healthcare providers and the public about the importance of screening,” says Jemma Arakelyan, an advisor at the Immune Oncology Research Institute and CEO of The Institute of Cancer and Crisis in Armenia.
References:
“Colorectal cancer incidence trends in younger versus older adults: an analysis of population-based cancer registry data” by Hyuna Sung, Rebecca L Siegel, Mathieu Laversanne, Chenxi Jiang, Eileen Morgan, Mariam Zahwe, Yin Cao, Freddie Bray and Ahmedin Jemal, 11 December 2024, The Lancet Oncology.
DOI: 10.1016/S1470-2045(24)00600-4
“Self-reported consumption frequency of meat and fish products among young adults in Kazakhstan” by Venera Akhmetova, Yuriy Balji, Yelena Kandalina, Ainara Iskineyeva, Akmaral Mukhamejanova, Akmaral Baspakova, Yassin Uzakov, Kuralay Issayeva and Galia Zamaratskaia, 1 July 2024, Nutrition and Health.
DOI: 10.1177/02601060221114230
Reference: “Is the association of overweight and obesity with colorectal cancer underestimated? An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses” by Marko Mandic, Hengjing Li, Fatemeh Safizadeh, Tobias Niedermaier, Michael Hoffmeister and Hermann Brenner, 21 January 2023, European Journal of Epidemiology.
DOI: 10.1007/s10654-022-00954-6
Colorectal cancer is no longer just a disease of the elderly. It is increasingly affecting younger adults, largely due to unhealthy lifestyle choices. This growing trend calls for urgent action from governments, healthcare professionals, and individuals to promote awareness, improve diets, encourage healthier lifestyles, and expand access to early screenings. The time to act is now.
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14 Comments
“Early-onset CRC is frequently associated with hereditary cancer syndromes, …”
Why should hereditary cancer syndrome be increasing? That sounds like a correlation that is being created by something else. That is, a mutation is being triggered by some environmental factor.
The jabby
“Multiple studies suggest that modern eating patterns are contributing to the surge. High consumption of ultra-processed foods, red and processed meats, and sugary drinks has been linked to increased inflammation and a greater vulnerability to cancer.” “Colorectal cancer is no longer just a disease of the elderly. It is increasingly affecting younger adults, largely due to unhealthy lifestyle choices.” Clyde, a possible genetic factor which is consistent with the data is nearly subclinical (sub-acute) non-IgE-mediated food and food additive allergies; inherited and/or acquired. However, more importantly perhaps, it should be noted that most of those “unhealthy lifestyle choices” are actually not individual choices but officially (FDA in the US) approved and often hidden food poisoning foisted on consumers for higher ‘pseudo-food’ manufacturer (minimally) profits.
You’re 100% correct. The poison in our food via the pesticides and chemicals they use on fruits and vegetables, along with the 200 – 500 chemicals in our drinking water are the reasons behind this. In the late 1900s, the population wasn’t as large creating a higher demand for food production. So it makes sense that it was considered an “elderly disease.” Now that the population has increased significantly, their response to ramping up food production has been to use pesticides on the crops and introduce gene modification hormones to livestock so that crops aren’t perishing and animals are maturing to the butcher age faster than normal in nature. Water demand has increased so we’re literally filtering gray water, contaminating it with hundreds of chemicals to treat it, and then putting it in plastic bottles with instructions to drink more water to be healthier. And if that isn’t bad enough, the people who set the standards as to what is safe to consume (the FDA) receive 75% of their funding from Big Pharma. Imagine that… the people who shove western medicine down our throats when we become ill in some capacity from drinking and eating all the “safe” chemicals and pesticides are the same people providing funds to the agency that approves food for human consumption. It’s more corrupt than the Epstein scandal. And guess what… There’s absolutely NOTHING we can do about it! Even if you think to the extreme and decide to grow your own food and raise your own cattle. Guess what… The water they’re drinking comes from the same place as the water you drink. Unless of course you let them drink rain water. But even rain water is polluted after it falls through the sky catching all the pollutants we’ve put in the atmosphere on its way down. Point blank… We’re not safe from anything. And there’s no way to fix it. Since attacking the cause is not an option then let’s attack the effect. Find and release the cure for cancer to the general public. In reality though, we all know Big Pharma will never allow that! They’d lose too much money from the loss of all the cancer treatment medicine. At first I was shocked that that the FDA approved the weight loss injections. But come to find out, every weight loss injection is now proven to cause some pretty serious long term side effects that will necessitate western medicine. Until the last of the Boomers die off and daresay even a large number of Gen Xers as well so that the people in our government are no longer stuck in the old mindset, we will never see any kind of change. Trump has already proven that with his budget cuts for the departments that are attempting to find cures in through cancer research, hiv/aids research, etc. It’s f*cking scary, sad, disappointing, and frankly, too late.
What with imbeciles allowed use and specification of CRISPR, among so many consequential technologies, humans will soon see how robust animal genetics will be to survive the quickly advancing future.
Any possibility that marijuana and other such drugs are doing it? Avocados? Starbucks?
How about more side effects of the MRNA Covid shots?
Nice try, but the Covid vaccines didn’t exist during the 2013-2017 survey referenced.
Something’s poisoning people.
“Inherited genetic risk”
You mean the inherited risk inherited from voting in the corrupt FDA, pills, vaccines? and agricultural standards for 50 years?
EXACTLY!!!
You are completely correct in every sense of the word. That’s exactly what the problem is.
Thank you, Ben, for some enthusiastic and expansive recognition and contribution. Not as bleak yet as it may seem, to vary potential protein allergens in one’s diet, practice some intermittent fasting and at-least partially avoid the worst of the worst toxic FDA approved food additives (e.g., soy, TBHQ and added MSG, to my experience) can help one to live better and longer, with fewer serious illnesses and treatments. More on the already outdated “About” page of my ad-free, non-economic video channel: https://odysee.com/@charlesgshaver:d?view=about
As it relates to the colon, what you eat surely has to be a factor.