A new study of recent trends in colorectal cancer in the United States confirms that rates among those under the age of 50 years are rising. The findings also reveal that diagnoses of colorectal cancer in younger adults are more likely to be of advanced disease. Using data from the National Cancer Database registry, they found that 12.2% of colorectal cancer diagnoses in the U.S. in 2015 were in people under the age of 50 years compared with 10% in 2004. The vast majority of colorectal cancers are of the adenocarcinoma type. These begin in the cells that make the lubricant, or mucus, that covers the lining of the colon and rectum. Not counting cancers of the skin, of the cancers that doctors diagnose in both women and men in the U.S., colorectal cancer is the third most common, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). “Because the number of colorectal cancer cases from inherited causes are much higher in younger individuals, it is unknown whether screening for sporadic cases in a group with such low disease rate can result in a favorable balance of harms and benefits."says, Dr. Chyke A. Doubeni. (Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com)
