Latest news with #DanaFarber
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'Western diet' blamed for growing risk of GI cancers among young adults
The rates of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are rising among young adults, with a new peer-reviewed study pointing to the American diet and lifestyle as the primary culprits. The rising risk in younger generations may be linked more to environmental factors than genetics, stated the report, which was recently published in the British Journal of Surgery. "Some shared risk factors for early-onset (EO) GI cancer include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking," lead researcher Sara Char, M.D., at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, told Fox News Digital. Rare Cancer Diagnoses Surge Dramatically Among Millennials And Gen X The study notes that recent generations are more likely to adopt a "Western-pattern diet" and a "sedentary lifestyle." Colorectal is the most common type of early-onset GI cancer, but pancreatic, esophageal, gastric, biliary, appendiceal and neuroendocrine cancers are also rising in adults under 50, Char noted. Read On The Fox News App Adults born in 1990 have twice the risk of colon cancer and four times the risk of rectal cancer compared to those born in 1950, according to a previous study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Paul Oberstein, M.D., director of the Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology Program at NYU Langone's Perlmutter Cancer Center, told Fox News Digital that a person's diet does indeed impact the risk of colon cancer. Your Favorite Alcoholic Beverage Could Be Linked To Deadly Form Of Cancer, Study Finds "It is reported from previous studies that when someone has a higher amount of foods typical of a Western diet, they have a higher risk of colon cancer," said Oberstein, who was not involved in the research. A "Western diet" typically includes a higher intake of red and processed meats, processed and added sugars, and highly processed and refined grains, according to the oncologist. Processed deli meats, sugary drinks and processed grain snacks are also commonly associated with this type of diet. While the incidence of colon cancer in this group overall remains low, Oberstein recommends investing in more research to explore which factors are causing the increase. "We need to conduct more research on whether diet, vitamin supplements, alcohol or other things we ingest or use are contributing to this increase," he said. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter The expert also emphasized the importance of following the recommended colon cancer screening guidelines, which begin at 45 years old for most people, and seeking medical attention if any symptoms appear. Common warning signs include changes in bowel habits, blood in the stool, unexplained back or abdominal pain, or unintentional weight loss, all of which warrant speaking to a doctor for an "urgent evaluation," according to Char. For more Health articles, visit The researcher added that younger individuals can take preventative measures such as not smoking, avoiding excessive alcohol, limiting red meat consumption, staying physically active and maintaining a healthy body article source: 'Western diet' blamed for growing risk of GI cancers among young adults Solve the daily Crossword
Gizmodo
18-07-2025
- Health
- Gizmodo
Gastrointestinal Cancers Are Surging Among Younger Americans
Young people appear to be increasingly vulnerable to gastrointestinal cancers, but researchers aren't entirely sure what is driving the surge in disease. In a new study out this week, scientists led by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found that rates of early-onset GI cancers—those occurring in people younger than 50—are rising more rapidly than other types of cancer. In particular, colorectal cancer cases have significantly increased, while rates of other forms of the disease, like stomach cancer, are creeping up, too. While the paper doesn't come to definitive conclusions as to why these conditions are becoming more common, the researchers point to risk factors like obesity, a poor diet, and sedentary behavior. 'Colorectal cancer is the most common early-onset GI cancer worldwide, accounting for more than half of the cases, but it is not the only GI cancer that is rising in younger adults,' said senior study author Kimmie Ng, director of the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber, in a statement. 'Unfortunately, pancreatic, gastric, and esophageal cancers are also increasing in young people,' she added. 45 Is the New 50 When It Comes to Colorectal Cancer Screening Ng and her colleagues reviewed data collected from 100 studies, as well as past scientific reviews, and cancer-related guidelines. They also analyzed three publicly available cancer statistic databases. Since 2010, the incidence of early-onset GI cancers has been increasing globally, they found, but especially in high-income countries like the U.S. Between 2010 and 2019, the age-adjusted incidence rate in the U.S. increased by 2.16% annually—the greatest increase of any early-onset cancer during that time. In 2022, there were at least 25,000 Americans under 50 who developed GI cancer. The team's findings were published Thursday in JAMA. An earlier, separate review of data—by some of the same authors—over a similar time period concluded that the rate of GI cancer has tripled in young people aged between 15 and 19, and almost doubled in those aged between 20 and 24. 'The rising incidence of early-onset GI cancers is alarming and underscores the need for enhanced prevention strategies and early detection methods,' said Ng. As the rates of these cancers have risen, so have some of their risk factors, including rates of obesity and time spent sitting; ultraprocessed foods are also more common now, especially in Western diets. Still, the researchers estimate that as much as 30% of early-onset GI cancer may be linked to genetic mutations. Other scientists have argued that other issues, like common stomach infections, could also be driving the increase in cancer rates. Scientists May Have Figured Out Why Young People Are Getting Colorectal Cancer More Often Even as the causes remain unclear, what is clear is that more work needs to be done to help catch these cancers early enough, before they become impossible to treat, the researchers said. In 2020, public health experts recommended routine screening for colorectal cancer in people 45 and up, but the researchers noted that a year later, fewer than 20% of people ages 45 to 49 went for a screening. Another outstanding question is whether early-onset GI cancers are different from those caught later in life, and if so, should they be treated differently. 'We need to be thinking not only about the risk factors for these diseases but also how to screen, diagnose, and treat young people with these cancers,' said Ng.
Medscape
17-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
S3 Episode 3: Young-Onset Adult Cancer Survivorship
This transcript has been edited for clarity. For more episodes, download the Medscape app or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast provider. Kathryn J. Ruddy, MD, MPH: Hello, I'm Dr Kathryn Ruddy. Welcome to season three of the Medscape InDiscussion Cancer Survivorship podcast series. Today, we'll discuss young-onset cancer survivorship. First, let me introduce my esteemed guest, Dr Narjust Florez. Dr Florez is the associate director of the Cancer Care Equity Program, co-director of the Young Lung Cancer Program, and a thoracic medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center. Dr Florez's clinical interests include targeted therapy for lung cancer and the care of women and young individuals with lung cancer, including their cancer survivorship. Dr Florez, welcome to the Medscape InDiscussion Cancer Survivorship Podcast. Narjust Florez, MD: Thank you, I'm very happy to be here. Dr Ruddy was one of my mentors when I was at Mayo Clinic, and there were around 6 months during my training that I was considering specializing in breast cancer. So, this feels full circle, coming back and having this discussion with one of the individuals I learned how to conduct survivorship research with. Thank you. Ruddy: Thank you, Dr Florez. Some of you may remember that Dr Florez was part of this podcast series in previous years, so we're thrilled to have her back again in season three. Dr Florez, could we start by having you talk about the incidence of young-onset cancer and how young-onset cancers can present? Florez: Thank you for that very important question. Since 2010, and even before that, we have seen an increased number of cases of young-onset cancer. What is young-onset cancer? These are patients who are usually diagnosed before the age of 50 or 45. These patients are diagnosed with cancer during a very disruptive time of their lives and often don't have any other person in their circle who has been diagnosed with cancer. The number of cases is increasing. Colorectal cancer is one where we have seen the highest rise in the number of cases, and that's why a large campaign is pursuing colorectal cancer screening to start at age 45 instead of 50. So 45 is the new 50. Dr Kimmie Ng spearheaded a lot of these efforts. When I was at Mayo with you, Dr Ruddy, we saw increased incidences of lung cancer in younger women. Young-onset lung cancer is higher in younger women compared to colorectal cancer, which can be seen in either sex. Young breast cancer is rising in certain groups and declining in others. This is the reality. Younger patients are getting cancer. Cancer should no longer be seen as a disease of older adults. We have to open our eyes to this diagnosis, because often, these patients don't get a timely diagnosis because of the lack of association with these solid tumor cancers in younger individuals. We often see testicular cancer and lymphoma in this subgroup. Now, a new group of cancers is affecting this population. Ruddy: In addition to those potential diagnostic delays, what are the unique challenges that your patients face during and after treatment when they are diagnosed at a young age? Florez: When we talk about young-onset cancers, we must consider their challenges across the entire spectrum. Let's start with the first one, which is diagnostic delays. This is very unique to this population and to patients with colorectal and lung cancer, in which the symptoms cannot be as specific. We know from our own study that young women with lung cancer are often told that they may have a mental health issue instead of lung cancer. The number one misdiagnosis in this group was anxiety. This data will soon be presented. We interviewed over 114 young women with lung cancer and identified that chest pressure was often attributed to anxiety when in fact it was the tumor growing. For diagnosis in young individuals with colorectal cancer, mental health is often included, and these patients with [gastrointestinal] symptoms are diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome based on symptoms without specific imaging: leading to delays in diagnosis. And a lot of these patients are, unfortunately, diagnosed via stage IV when there are limited treatment options. That brings up a very important aspect that affects the entire spectrum of survivorship, which is stress and the healthcare system. Many young patients have had to seek care multiple times due to the diagnosis. Many of them believe that they could have been diagnosed at an earlier stage. Issues of trust affect survivorship because, up until the diagnosis, the patient was not heard. After diagnosis, we know isolation is a big challenge in their survivorship. They don't have peers who have gone through this. They often have a parent or a grandparent who may have had cancer treatment. There is a lack of having that community. Luckily, social media has helped with some of that isolation, but my patients often report that they're the only young person in the entire waiting room. They don't have anybody to lock eyes with. They don't even have anyone in the hallway to say, 'Man, this is difficult.' So we have created a lounge at Dana-Farber, specifically for young adults with cancer, so they can have this little space in which they can connect, even if it's not the same type of cancer, they have the same challenges with diagnosis. One thing that we often forget to talk about with young-onset cancer is the effect on families. Young-onset patients are often the backbone of caring for others and the family nucleus. So, younger women, younger men, and non-binary individuals are often taking care of younger children, ages 4-18 or more. They also care for older adults, such as their parents or grandparents. In society, this group of patients is the caregivers. The issue is, who cares for the caregiver when the caregiver gets sick? Finally, these patients tend to have more aggressive treatments because they're able to tolerate them. The consequences of that are a large number of long-term side effects that affect all aspects of their survivorship. Ruddy: Can you discuss fertility concerns and fertility preservation? This is a topic near and dear to my heart because of my own interest in fertility preservation during cancer therapy, which was inspired by a close friend's cancer diagnosis during medical school. It was actually what led me to become an oncologist and sparked my passion for cancer survivorship research. I would love to hear you tell our audience a bit about how this plays a role. Florez: We both have a mentor who also studies fertility. We're all passionate about this. Through my own personal experience with fertility, I have firsthand experience with this challenge. One main issue is that oncologists get very limited training about fertility and fertility preservation. You may get a lecture or two, and if you are fortunate, like me, my mentors specialize in this, so you receive extra training; but you have to go out of your way to learn about it. Most patients are not provided the opportunity for fertility preservation, regardless of the subtype of cancer. Breast cancer has been at the forefront, and they have done more research and have more options. Lung cancer is on the back burner. It's behind like it is 1995. The lack of training is a big issue. There is also a rush to treat many of these young patients who are often very sick. We often discuss delays in diagnosis, so these patients need to begin treatment immediately. But it is not our role as providers to decide fertility preservation for our patients. It is our duty to give them options. There are many options for fertility preservation. It can be easier for biological men. For them, we have sperm collection. For women, it tends to be a little more complicated. It can range from injections all the way to full stimulation and preservation. However, the main thing is that we keep the options open for patients to make their own decisions, rather than making the decision for them, because we don't know what their cancer journey will bring. With new advancements in therapies, I have patients with metastatic lung cancer living for 12 years. It is not my role to decide if and when they want to be parents or if they want to have additional children. It's not only about those who haven't had children, but also about those who may want more children. Having the discussion is the first step, and it is not expected of medical oncologists or community oncologists to know what to do, but to know who to refer the patient to. We have nurses, nurse practitioners, and specialists. Dr Elizabeth Ginsburg is a remarkable individual who has conducted extensive research in this area. The main thing is to ask our patients about fertility preservation. I have a template in Epic because we're often so busy that we forget about so many things. However, if you have it in your template, before closing the note, you need to click 'Discuss' or 'You will discuss' so that you can close the note. That's a little tip that has helped me remember. Ruddy: That's a great tip. The Epic templates are so helpful for so many aspects of our care, so thank you for that. Can you talk about your pregnancy and lung cancer registry? Florez: When I talked about pregnancy and lung cancer registry on the podcast the last time, we were not even live. It was an idea and a journey. It all started with a phone call from one of my friends, an OB attending physician, who said, 'NJ, I need your help.' I said, 'Do you need help moving?' Do you want me to pet sit your cat? What is happening?' They said, I have a pregnant patient with lung cancer. I still remember the feeling. My belly just fell. They said, 'Well, you take care of young patients.' I was like, yeah, but not pregnant patients. This led to an examination of the literature, revealing that there are no established guidelines. Most of the data precedes targeted therapy. There is no data available on immunotherapy, and all of these agents are what we are using most frequently in these young patients. As a result of that experience and having to give chemotherapy to a pregnant woman, for the first time in my career, I remember texting my mentor, saying I can't sleep. My patient starts chemotherapy tomorrow. My mentor said, 'Yeah, I've done it a hundred times.' We created the registry. The registry is housed at Dana-Farber, but is an international registry, so anybody across the globe can enter cases. The cases are anonymous, and we ask for a follow-up 6 months and 12 months after the case has been entered. To meet the goal of processing as many cases as possible, patients can enter their cases. This process is fully IRB-approved. And it's because sometimes I don't remember the Apgar score of the offspring that may have been treated, but the mothers have the capacity to get such detailed information. Providers from around the world can submit cases to the registry, including nurses, nurse practitioners, and physicians. Families and patients can also enter the cases. We have 72 cases so far. So we have the largest cohort of pregnancy and lung cancer. We learned that there's a significant lack of uniformity in treatments. We have cases from many countries around the globe, and we have seen a lack of uniformity. And it's risky, because a lot of these targeted therapies have not been approved, and they have not been studied for this population whatsoever. Immunotherapy, for example, was studied in non-sexually mature baboons. That's the data we have. As a consequence of the registry, we have launched the Pregnancy and Lung Cancer Consortium with Dr Imbimbo in Switzerland and Dr Marina Garassino, in which people can bring pregnant cases to us. We're happy to guide them because the literature is so diverse. Ruddy: That's a phenomenal resource and design. I'm very excited to hear more about your future results. Another topic you talked about last year on the podcast was the importance of sexual health. Have there been any new data or interventions over the last year that you'd like to update the listeners on? Florez: As we're talking about young-onset cancer, sexual health has to be at the forefront. It's unfair to expect a 32-year-old woman diagnosed with colorectal or lung cancer or breast or lymphoma to remain celibate until the end of her days. Sexual health has many benefits, including health, self-esteem, and well-being. It can decrease even the amount of opiates that you may need. Sexual health is cancer care. That's the first thing I want to talk about. As a result of her studies and the Sexual Health Assessment in Women with Lung Cancer study (SHAWL study), which is our study, Dr Sharon Bober has launched the SHARE study, which is sexual health after cancer treatment, focused on younger patients. This is for women aged 19-49 and is based at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. No medications are involved in the intervention. The interventions focus on cognitive behavioral therapy, physical therapy, and provide educational online sessions about body changes that these patients may experience during their cancer treatment and after the cancer treatment and how to cope with that and see your new body, your new sexual health, activity, and intimacy. This study is very interesting. Patients will be randomized to either group sessions or individual sessions. It's called the SHARE study, which is sexual health and rehabilitation. While we have documented the sexual dysfunction, this study is the next step, which is an intervention to improve sexual health in young patients with cancer, and the SHARE study is regardless of the type of cancer. If people are interested, they can Google SHARE study, with Dr Bober, who's here at Dana-Farber. I think the time for sexual health interventions is now. Ruddy: That sounds like an extremely important study, so congratulations on taking that forward with Dr Bober. Do you want to say anything about the potential for integrative approaches to be helpful for young patients, specifically, with regard to other areas of survivorship? Florez: Yes. I think early onset cancer care is multidisciplinary care, because we have to look at these patients very long term, right? One, two, three decades after they have been diagnosed with cancer. The plan is not to fix issues after we have caused them. The plan is to address them before that. So, a very important aspect is cardio-oncology and survivorship. I currently have two football players who underwent treatment. Now they're resuming their strenuous activity. I have to work with cardio-oncology to ensure their heart is in shape to run on a football field. Another important aspect of multidisciplinary care is psycho-oncology for these patients. These patients struggle with significant mental health issues. As a millennial myself, we were born with a little touch of anxiety to start with. My patients say I'm only 42 years old, and I'm tired of being part of historical events. So, I had the pleasure of working with Dr Cristina Pozo-Kaderman, a psycho-oncologist. She helps these patients cope with the diagnosis and new ways of treating some of these mental health issues outside of medications. Medications are very helpful, but therapy plays a very important role in their survivorship. In breast cancer, colorectal, and lung cancer, mental health issues have a higher prevalence in younger patients. There's a higher prevalence of depression, adjustment disorder, and anxiety. Working with psycho-oncology is key for the survivorship of these patients because it goes by in phases. At the beginning, everybody's all hands on deck, right? And eventually, the layers of support peel off as the patient moves in their cancer journey. Another multidisciplinary care that we often forget for young-onset patients is financial advisors and social work. These patients don't have lifetime savings. These patients often need to remain in their jobs to keep their insurance, which affects their survivorship, including whether they can make it to appointments, and worrying about switching to COBRA insurance when they can't work. So financial advisors and social workers are essential for treating young patients because it allows them to apply to foundations, adjust things as needed, and know about resources that, often, even doctors don't know about. I'm in Massachusetts. I'm very fortunate to be in a state with Medicaid expansion. There are a lot of things I'm not familiar with, so these are only three of the things that are very important when we're looking at survivorship for young-onset cancer patients. The fourth thing is family members and caregivers. They are part of the cancer care team as much as the surgeons, as much as radiation oncologists, because sometimes grandma needs to help with childcare. Sometimes grandma needs to help drive somebody. So they need to be included in conversations as well. Young-onset cancer care is no longer just the medical oncologist's job; it is everybody's responsibility, including society as a whole. Ruddy: I completely agree, and I hope we can come up with new and better ways to support caregivers in future years, because this is, as you say, a very critical part of our care team. Is there anything else you want to tell our audience today before we close, Dr Florez? Florez: I would like to ask our audience to look at patients with their eyes open. And remember that what we learned in medical school has changed; the patient we learned about in our USMLE step 1, 2, and 3 is no longer the full reality. Lung cancer is not limited to older men with a previous tobacco history anymore. Colorectal cancer is not limited to older men. Come with open eyes. See the patient's needs because, unfortunately, this phenomenon will continue to grow, and more and more younger patients will be diagnosed with cancer. Remove some of the gender bias, remove some oncologist bias, and see these patients with higher needs instead of assuming they can do it on their own. They actually need additional support. Ruddy: Thank you so much, Dr Florez. Today, we spoke with Dr Narjust Florez about cancer survivorship issues in young adults. Thank you for tuning in. Please take a moment to download the Medscape app to listen and subscribe to this podcast series on cancer survivorship. This is Dr Kathryn Ruddy for the Medscape InDiscussion Cancer Survivorship podcast. Listen to additional seasons of this podcast. Cultural Competency and Cancer Survivorship: Humility, Lifelong Learning, and Effectively Communicating With Patients Trends in Cancer Incidence and Mortality Rates in Early-Onset and Older-Onset Age Groups in the United States, 2010-2019 US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations for Colorectal Cancer Screening: Forty-Five Is the New Fifty Lung Cancer in Women: The Past, Present, and Future Cancer Statistics, 2025 "Too Young to Have This Kind of Diagnosis": A Qualitative Exploration of Younger Adults' Experiences of Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis Dana Farber Young Adult Program (YAP) From Approximation to Precision: Fertility and Pregnancy Questions in Young Patients With Lung Cancer Oncofertility in Children and Adolescents When the Unimaginable Happens: Lung Cancer Diagnosis During Pregnancy Sexual Health Assessment in Women With Lung Cancer Study: Sexual Health Assessment in Women With Lung Cancer Sexual Health and Rehabilitation Online (SHAREonline)
The Independent
09-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
The American diet is being blamed for a worrying rise in colon cancer
Rates of colorectal and other gastrointestinal cancers are rising in Americans under the age of 50, researchers said Tuesday. They may know why. An increased risk of early-onset gastrointestinal cancers is associated with obesity, which is also rising in the U.S. That's what scientists say is a 'leading theory' for the surge - noting a 2019 study that found women who were considered obese had nearly double the risk of developing early-onset colorectal cancer. Close to half of all U.S. adults are predicted to be obese by 2030, according to research released the same year. The chronic condition can cause inflammation and higher levels of insulin that increases peoples' risk of getting cancer, including several types of gastrointestinal cancers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other risk factors include smoking, drinking alcohol, eating a Western-style diet and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Earlier this year, new research pointed to the impact of a toxin in the gut, known as colibactin, that can inflict DNA damage on colon cells that leads to the development of cancer. Colibactin is produced by the bacteria E. coli, which is often responsible for foodborne illness. As of now, the specific cause remains unclear but the U.S. is not alone, researchers said. 'The incidence of GI cancers in adults younger than age 50 is rising globally,' explained Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute oncology fellow Dr. Sara Char. Gastrointestinal cancer rates in the US In the U.S., scientists found that early-onset cases have shown a 'marked increase' in both American men and women since the mid-1990s. In comparison to American adults born in 1950, those born in 1990 have twice the risk of developing colon cancer and four times the risk of developing rectal cancer, the researchers found. Furthermore, early-onset colorectal cancer has become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in U.S. for men under 50. For women in the same age group, it's the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Colorectal cancer, the most common type of gastrointestinal cancer, also affects Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, and Asian people disproportionately. Changing treatment These and other related findings signal a worrying shift — and potentially a need for updated treatment practices, the researchers noted. Patients with early-onset colorectal cancers often experience delays in diagnosis because neither doctors, nor their patients, suspect cancer and doctors are more likely to diagnose patients when they are at advanced stages of the disease. Younger patients are more likely to receive aggressive treatment, 'often without a survival advantage,' they said. Colorectal cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in American men and the fourth-leading cause in women. Overall, it's the second most common cause of U.S. cancer deaths, and the American Cancer Society says it's expected to cause about 52,900 deaths this year. The researchers pointed out that younger patients are more likely to experience financial hardship because of their diagnosis and problems with body image and mental health, as well as a worse quality of life. 'Ongoing research efforts investigating the biology of early-onset GI cancers are critical to developing more effective screening, prevention, and treatment strategies,' Char, the paper's lead author, said.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Colon cancer is spiking in young adults. Scientists are blaming the American diet
Rates of colorectal and other gastrointestinal cancers are rising in Americans under the age of 50, researchers said Tuesday. They may know why. An increased risk of early-onset gastrointestinal cancers is associated with obesity, which is also rising in the U.S. That's what scientists say is a 'leading theory' for the surge - noting a 2019 study that found women who were considered obese had nearly double the risk of developing early-onset colorectal cancer. Close to half of all U.S. adults are predicted to be obese by 2030, according to research released the same year. The chronic condition can cause inflammation and higher levels of insulin that increases peoples' risk of getting cancer, including several types of gastrointestinal cancers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other risk factors include smoking, drinking alcohol, eating a Western-style diet and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Earlier this year, new research pointed to the impact of a toxin in the gut, known as colibactin, that can inflict DNA damage on colon cells that leads to the development of cancer. Colibactin is produced by the bacteria E. coli, which is often responsible for foodborne illness. As of now, the specific cause remains unclear but the U.S. is not alone, researchers said. 'The incidence of GI cancers in adults younger than age 50 is rising globally,' explained Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute oncology fellow Dr. Sara Char. In the U.S., scientists found that early-onset cases have shown a 'marked increase' in both American men and women since the mid-1990s. In comparison to American adults born in 1950, those born in 1990 have twice the risk of developing colon cancer and four times the risk of developing rectal cancer, the researchers found. Furthermore, early-onset colorectal cancer has become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in U.S. for men under 50. For women in the same age group, it's the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Colorectal cancer, the most common type of gastrointestinal cancer, also affects Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, and Asian people disproportionately. These and other related findings signal a worrying shift — and potentially a need for updated treatment practices, the researchers noted. Patients with early-onset colorectal cancers often experience delays in diagnosis because neither doctors, nor their patients, suspect cancer and doctors are more likely to diagnose patients when they are at advanced stages of the disease. Younger patients are more likely to receive aggressive treatment, 'often without a survival advantage,' they said. Colorectal cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in American men and the fourth-leading cause in women. Overall, it's the second most common cause of U.S. cancer deaths, and the American Cancer Society says it's expected to cause about 52,900 deaths this year. The researchers pointed out that younger patients are more likely to experience financial hardship because of their diagnosis and problems with body image and mental health, as well as a worse quality of life. 'Ongoing research efforts investigating the biology of early-onset GI cancers are critical to developing more effective screening, prevention, and treatment strategies,' Char, the paper's lead author, said. The paper was published by Oxford University Press in the journal BJS.
