Since the 1980s, colorectal cancer rates have been on a welcome downward trend thanks to increased screening efforts. There’s one notable exception in this promising shift — rates of colorectal cancer among people younger than 50 have been steadily increasing.
Nearly 160,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2026, and the disease will claim slightly more than 55,000 lives this year. While these numbers are lower than they were 50 years ago, the downward trend has stalled somewhat thanks to the addition of more younger people.
Between 2013 and 2022, there’s been a nearly 3% annual increase in diagnoses among people under age 50.
Because March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, our team at Rockwall Surgical Specialists is taking a closer look at the worrisome trend of colorectal cancer among younger people.
Today, one in five colorectal cancers is diagnosed in people under age 55. Rates of the disease in people between the ages of 20 and 39 have increased by 2% per year since the mid-1990s.
Given that colorectal cancers are the third leading cause of cancer death in the US, this trend is concerning and one that deserves a little extra attention on your part.
The increasing number of younger people with colorectal cancer is largely attributable to lifestyle factors, including:
Of course, there are other factors, such as family history and pre-existing digestive disease, but lifestyle is having a big impact. This is ultimately good news — because you can do something about lifestyle.
To protect yourself against colorectal cancer, you simply need to check that list above and make improvements.
For example, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that Americans are only getting about half of the daily recommended amount of fiber, and this can set the stage for colorectal cancer. In very basic terms, fiber is important because it cleans out your colon and keeps the organ’s lining in good health.
We suggest that you work toward increasing your fiber intake, and you can start here for ideas about what to eat.
Adding more fiber is certainly a great step, but it’s also important that you get moving and lose any excess weight you might be carrying. Exercise supports almost every area of your health, including your gut health, so please get 30-60 minutes per day.
Any strides you make by improving your lifestyle will certainly go a long way toward preventing colorectal cancer, but the most powerful tool is screening through a colonoscopy.
New colorectal cancer screening guidelines suggest starting at age 45 unless you know you’re at higher risk and want to screen earlier.
A colonoscopy is the preferred screening tool because we not only can investigate your colon for potential problems — mainly polyps — but we also can remove them at the same time. During your colonoscopy, if we find a polyp, we extract it and check for any abnormal or precancerous cells.
This early and proactive intervention is an efficient way to keep colorectal cancer at bay, no matter your age.
If you have more questions about colorectal cancer or if you want to discuss whether you should screen earlier, we’re happy to help. Call the Rockwall Surgical Specialists team at 972-412-7700 or use our online form to set up an appointment in one of our conveniently located offices in Rockwall, Rowlett, Greenville, Terrell, or Forney, Texas.
