CRC Rate Rising Among Younger Americans

The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) among young adults, teens, and even adolescents has skyrocketed over the past 20 years, according to a study presented at Digestive Disease Week on May 20.

Between 1999 and 2020, The rate of colorectal cancers (CRC) grew 500% among children ages 10 to 14; 333% among teens aged 15 to 19; and 185% among young adults ages 20 to 24 from 1999 to 2020, said Islam Mohamed, MD, an internal medicine resident physician at the University of Missouri-Kansas City who presented the results. Dr Mohamed and colleagues calculated trends in colorectal cancer rates using data from the Centers for Disease Control Wonder Database.

Although the rates are rising among younger groups, the actual number of colorectal cancer cases is not high enough to suggest widespread colonoscopy screening for children and teens, Dr Mohamed said. In 2020, only .6 children ages 10 to14 per 100,000 population were diagnosed compared to .1 per 100,000 in 1999. Diagnoses in teens age 15 to 19 went from .3 to 1.3 per 100,000, and in young adults ages 20 to 24, cases rose from .7 to 2 per 100,000.

The most common symptoms for colorectal cancer identified in patients with early onset colorectal cancer were changes in bowel habits such as constipation or diarrhea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, and signs of iron deficiency anemia, Dr Mohamed reported.

Rates of CRC continue to rise among all age groups, the study revealed. Rates of CRC rose by 71% to 6.5 per 100,000 people aged 30 to 34 and by 58% to 11.7 per 100,000 in ages 35 to 39 in 2020. The 40-to-44 age group had a lower percentage increase of 37%, but had the highest incidence rate, reaching 20 per 100,000 people in 2020.

Risk factors for CRC include a family history of inflammatory bowel disease or colorectal cancer. Obesity, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, low fiber intake, consuming processed meats or sugar-sweetened beverages, and a high-fat diet are among modifiable risk factors for developing CRC. In addition, potential contributors to the risk include sedentary lifestyle, the presence of bacteria associated with tumors, antibiotic usage, and dietary additives, although their roles are unproven, Dr Mohamed said.