Early onset colorectal cancer rising fastest in the west
Surprising finding suggests obesity epidemic may not fully explain increasing rates
Early-onset colorectal cancer –cancer occurring before age 50—is rising most rapidly in Western states, where healthy behaviors are prominent, according to a new study. The authors of the study, which appears in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, say the findings indicate the need for further etiologic studies to explore early-life colorectal carcinogenesis.
Early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) has been on the rise for several decades in the United States for unknown reasons. Because geographic differences could help uncover potential causes for the trend, investigators at the American Cancer Society and The Ohio State University analyzed changes in CRC incidence and risk factors among adults under 50 during 1995-2015 by state and race/ethnicity.