The American Cancer Society reports that the incidence of colon and rectal cancer has increased among younger people in the United States, and more cases are being reported in advanced stages of the disease.
One in every 5 new cases of the disease is reported among people under the age of 55, more than double the rate in 1995, according to data from the report released Wednesday.
In another worrying change, the proportion of patients diagnosed with this type of advanced cancer rose from 52 percent to 60 percent between 2005 and 2010, according to the report.
The authors of the American Association’s report said colon cancer and death rates have continued to decline for decades, generally thanks to better screening and treatments and reductions in risk factors such as smoking, but new trends in the disease are poorly understood.Wall Street Journal“.
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the United States, and the second deadliest type of cancer after lung cancer.
According to estimates from the American Society for Disease Control, about 153,000 cases are expected to be diagnosed by 2023, including about 19,500 cases in people under the age of 50.
Colon cancer is most common among people between the ages of 65 and 74, but the incidence is increasing rapidly among people under 50.
While oncologists aren’t sure why rates are rising among young adults, changes in known risk factors, including unhealthy diets, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity, may contribute to the trend, but don’t fully explain the trend.
The American Cancer Society report recommends routine screening at age 45 for people at high risk of colon cancer.
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