Why Are Younger Adults Getting Colon Cancer?
- Colon cancer among adults under 50 is on the rise.
- The data and this troubling mini boom support lowering the age for preventive screenings.
- Researchers are trying to understand whether changes in the average person’s gut bacteria, a wave of chronic inflammation, or environmental factors may be responsible, however there is no conclusive evidence.
This year has brought the death of another young actor to colon cancer. Jeanette Maus, a voiceover artist who lent her voice to the video game Resident Evil, was just 39 years old. Chadwick Boseman, best known for playing the title role in Black Panther, died last year at 43 of the same disease. So, why are we seeing what appears to be an increase in colon cancer deaths at younger and younger ages? SurvivorNet asked an expert.
Read MoreColon Cancer in Younger People Seems Like a Different Disease
It's not simply that typical colon cancers are arising at earlier ages. Research shows that the colon cancer doctors are seeing in people between the ages of 20 and 49 is different from older-onset colon cancers in many ways."Early-onset colorectal cancers seem to be more aggressive, and found at later stages in younger adults, but they are not necessarily more fatal if they are caught early," Yeo explains.
Dr. Heather Yeo explains guidelines and importance of colon cancer screening.
Her study in the journal Clinical Colorectal Cancer that included 369,796 cases of colorectal cancer also found that those most likely to get the disease before age 50 are men, African Americans and Hispanics.
Screening Sooner Saves Lives But Everyone Needs Access
While cancer among younger people is on the rise; rates have plummeted among people over 50. That difference speaks to the value of colon cancer screenings.
Fifty has been the age at which most guidelines recommend that routine colon cancer screenings begin. As colon cancer screenings rise, and catch cancerous lesions and precancerous polyps as early as possible, cancer diagnoses drop among those old enough to get screenings. To further underscore the benefits of screening, research shows that early-onset colorectal cancers are more likely to be diagnosed at more advanced stages, which suggests that earlier screening would make a difference.
Dr. Heather Yeo explains how a colon polyp becomes cancer.
Several of the medical and scientific organizations that help create the guidelines for cancer screenings are in the process of lowering the recommended age for colon cancer screenings to 45 a move that could save lives if screening reaches everyone.
Related: Why Do So Few Black Men Get Colon Cancer Screenings?
"We know that colon cancers can be prevented when polyps are found early" Yeo says. "Lowering the screening age helps somewhat with this. But access to care is a real problem." Whites and Asians are significantly more likely to be up to date with their colonoscopies than African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans.
In Search of An Explanation
Screening can save lives, but it doesn't explain why colon cancer is on the rise among younger adults in the first place. Experts suspect it's a combination of factors. Researchers are pursuing several possible theories, including diet, gut bacteria, and inflammation.
Related: Can the Stuff in My Gut Cause Cancer? There May Be A Link to Colon Cancer
A growing body of evidence links an unhealthy diet high in processed meats and fat and low in fruits and vegetables with early-onset colon cancer. Being overweight or obese may raise your risk for an earlier diagnosis, too. A sedentary lifestyle may also play a role in risk for early-onset disease. While these interrelated factors may be unsurprising, research underway explores lesser known theories, too.
Related: Watching TV Linked to Colon Cancer — Don’t Worry, Just Be Active
Certain types of bacteria that can grow in your gut may promote colorectal cancer. Other gut bacteria, studies suggest, could influence how well cancer treatment works. An unhealthy lifestyle increase levels of harmful bacteria and lower levels of beneficial bacteria in your gut.
Chronic inflammation, which may come from a poor diet, stress and trauma, or another underlying condition, may also promote cancer. In fact, about half of younger adults who get colorectal cancer already have a chronic disease that causes gut inflammation.
“Does inflammation cause cancer?” Dr. Stephen Freedland answers.
Other research explores the role that air and water pollution, pesticides and other chemicals in the environment might play in early-onset colon cancer risk.
A Personalized Approach
Research suggests that tailoring colon cancer screenings to each person's individual risk may be beneficial. If you are not yet 45 but have concerns about your risk, talk to your doctor. Ask about your individual risk based on your lifestyle and family history and find out when screenings would be right for you.
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