Reality TV Star Criscilla Anderson, 43, Among Growing Number of Young People With Colon Cancer. Researchers Pinpoint Possible Reason in New Study

“Colorectal cancer was the fourth-leading cause of cancer death in both men and women younger than 50 years in the late 1990s but is now first in men and second in women,” the study says.

The researchers suggest environmental factors, including the availability of processed food and obesity stemming from sedentary lifestyles, as possible reasons for the cancer rate increase.

A 2018 study published in JAMA Oncology addressed obesity as a risk factor for early-onset colorectal cancer among women. Within the study that included more than 85,000 women, obese participants who had a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 nearly “doubled risk of early-onset colorectal cancer compared to women with a BMIN of 18.5 to 22.9.”

The latest data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says, “Adults aged 18–24 had the lowest prevalence of obesity (20.5%) compared to adults aged 45–54, who had the highest prevalence (39.9%).”

Criscilla is a professional hip-hop dancer who once danced backup to pop singers Britney Spears and Rihanna. She also teaches dance classes to various clients, including NFL cheerleading squads.

Criscilla has been open about her stage 4 colon cancer diagnosis, which came in 2018. Stage 4 colon cancer means the cancer has spread beyond the colon and onto other parts of the body.

She underwent years of treatment, including chemotherapy, which helped shrink her tumors. She had a brief moment of reprieve in late 2021 when her scans found no evidence of disease. However, a few months later, in early 2022, Criscilla’s cancer had returned to her lymph nodes.

“The thing with cancer is that the chances of it returning are very, very high,” she said. “That’s why it’s always been important for me to not only celebrate all the victories but prepare my mind for a bad scan, which takes us right back to the drawing board. It’s almost like I have to treat the cancer like a chronic disease,” she previously told People Magazine.

More on Colon Cancer Appearing More in Young People

The average age people are diagnosed with colon cancer is 68 for men and 72 for women, according to the American Cancer Society.

The National Cancer Institute reports that since the 1990s, colorectal cancer cases have been rising among adults younger than 50. Research published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians found that the proportion of cases in people younger than 55 “increased from 11% in 1995 to 20% in 2019.”

WATCH: Debunking misconceptions about colon cancer.

“We know rates are increasing in young people, but it’s alarming to see how rapidly the whole patient population is shifting younger, despite shrinking numbers in the overall population,” cancer epidemiologist and lead study author Rebecca Siegel said.

Researchers are still trying to determine why younger people are being diagnosed in more significant numbers. Some experts point to risk factors, which include obesity, physical inactivity, and smoking, as a possible explanation for the increase.

“We don’t know for sure why we are seeing earlier onset and death from colon cancer,” Dr. Heather Yeo, a surgical oncologist who specializes in colorectal cancers at Weill Cornell Medicine, told SurvivorNet.

“It is likely a combination of factors, including diet and genetics as well as access to care and some environmental factors,” Dr. Yeo explains.

WATCH: How Doctors Look for Polyps.

Most colon cancers can be prevented if people are regularly screened. The screening usually involves a colonoscopy, in which a long, thin tube attached to a camera is used to examine the colon and rectum. If no polyps are discovered, the following screening won’t be needed for ten years.

“We know that colon cancers can be prevented when polyps are found early,” Dr. Yeo told SurvivorNet. “Lowering the screening age helps somewhat with this, but access to care is a real problem,” Yeo added.

The American Gastrointestinal Association lowered the recommended initial age for a colorectal screening from 50 to 45.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you are facing a colon cancer diagnosis, here are some questions you may ask your doctor.

• What are my treatment options based on my diagnosis?
• If I’m worried about managing the costs of cancer care, who can help me?
• What support services are available to me? To my family?
• Could this treatment affect my sex life? If so, how and for how long?
• What are the risks and possible side effects of treatment?

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

---