The Alarming Rise of Colon Cancer in Young Adults: What You Need to Know.

Colorectal cancer is on the rise among young adults, with rates nearly doubling in Americans younger than 55 from 11% in 1995 to 20% in 2019. Doctors and health advocates are sounding the alarm on this disturbing trend, as many of the cases are at an advanced stage. Lifestyle risk factors such as obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and consuming processed and sugary foods are believed to be contributing to the uptick in rates of early-onset CRC. The most effective way to reduce a person’s risk of colon cancer is to get screened routinely, and experts believe that lowering the screening age in the future may be necessary to catch cancers in people in their 20s or 30s. Ongoing research is needed to better understand the underlying causes and biology of young-onset CRC.