New research on colorectal cancer rates in the U.S. has found that rates in younger adults increased “steeply” before and during the early years of the Covid pandemic.
There was a 50 percent relative increase between 2021 and 2022, according to the American Cancer Society.
“This trend contrasts with consistent increases of distant-stage diagnoses in this age group and likely reflects diagnosis of prevalent asymptomatic cancer through first-time screening due to recommendations for adults to begin screening at age 45 instead of age 50,” the authors said in a statement.
The recommended age was lowered in 2021, in response to rising cases. Doctors hoped that doing so would encourage more screenings and help people to catch the cancer early. Screening is usually done as a colonoscopy through a primary care physician. Treatment is more successful earlier on than in later stages of the disease.
“Colorectal cancer is a devastating disease and the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, yet about a quarter of adults ages 50 to 75 have never been screened for colorectal cancer. The Task Force reviews its recommendations about every five years to make sure they reflect the latest research,” Martha Kubik, registered nurse and U.S. Preventive Services Task Force member, told Healio then.
Colorectal cancer rates in younger adults increased ‘steeply’ before and during the early years of the Covid pandemic. Researchers said a lowered screening age in 2021 was likely a factor (Getty Images for Fight Colorectal Cancer)
“By reducing the screening age, hopefully you capture more people as they’re entering 50 than you ever did before,” Dr. Rachel Issaka, a gastroenterologist and assistant professor with UW Medicine, said then.
Colorectal cancer deaths have surged since 2021. Last year, there were an estimated 152,810 new cases and 53,010 deaths. Whereas in 2023, there were an estimated 52,550 deaths, according to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. This year, the American Cancer Society projects there will be more than 154,000 cases.
Early onset cases have risen in the U.S. and around the world, and nearly double the number of young adults under the age of 55 years old are being diagnosed with colorectal cancer compared to a decade ago, according to the American Cancer Society. Since the mid-1990s, there has been a consistent annual increase of two percent in cases among American adults between the ages of 20 and 39, the Cancer Research Institute reports.
Doctors have multiple theories for what’s happening, with recent studies linking increased U.S. cases to poor nutritional health and a toxin in the gut. But, researchers still have not found a concrete answer and upward trends are projected to continue.
By 2030, colorectal cancer is projected to be the leading cause of cancer death for people under the age of 50 years old. This year is expected to see nearly 2,000 more cases than last year (Getty Images for Fight Colorectal Cancer)
By 2030, Issaka says colorectal cancer is predicted to be the leading cause of cancer death for people under 50.
“We really need to have people understand that colorectal cancer isn’t an old people’s disease anymore,” she said.
The new research was published on Monday in the journal JAMA Network.
The study was released alongside two others that looked at trends in screening and screening strategies. The other research saw screening rates also increasing among the same age group, which was consistent with a previous report. But, a March survey commissioned by the Colorectal Cancer Alliance found more than half of adults prioritize household chores over getting a possibly life-saving colorectal cancer screening.
“These results reveal a life-threatening gap in public awareness of colorectal cancer,” Dr. Christopher Lieu, a medical oncologist and advisor to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, said in a statement.
