Colorectal cancer, long considered a scourge of the aged, has been steadily rising among young and middle-aged adults in the United States, new research shows.

A recent study conducted by the American Cancer Society, using data from the National Center for Health Statistics, uncovered this worrying development and experts are urging an increase in awareness of the disease to help combat the rise.


“Death rates for colorectal cancer for adults under 55 have been increasing over the past decade,” Rebecca Siegel, lead author and epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society, told HuffPost. 

The report found that between 2004 and 2014, the colorectal cancer death rate among young white people between the ages of 20 and 54 rose from 3.6 colorectal cancer deaths per 100,000 people to 4.1 deaths per year, or about 1.4 percent per year. 

Young white people are increasingly dying of colorectal cancer, a disease typically associated with older people, according to a report published Aug. 8 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. 

The same was not true for the black population, among whom mortality declined over the same period. 


“This is a change in the trend, because the death rate was declining for the previous couple of decades by about 2 percent per year,” Siegel said. “This indicates that the increase in colorectal cancer incidence that we see in this age group is a true increase.”


Colorectal cancer is expected to still cause more than 50,000 deaths in 2017, according to the American Cancer Society. It’s also the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men and the third-leading cause of cancer-related death in women.  

According to MedicalNewsToday Colorectal cancer, also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer or rectal cancer, is any cancer (a growth, lump, tumor) of the colon and the rectum. They typically occur in the lower part of the large intestine and are accompanied by a range.WHO (World Health Organisation) and CDC say it is the second most common cancer worldwide, after lung cancer.  If caught early, there’s a 50 percent chance that treatment will be a complete success. Late diagnosis often results in a less positive outcome.


Causes of colorectal cancer 


   Experts say we are not completely sure why colorectal cancer develops in some people and not in others. However, several risk factors have been identified over the years – a risk factor is something which may increase a person’s chances of developing a disease or condition. 

• Family history of colorectal cancer

• Patients with ulcerative colitis.

• Being overweight/obese.

• A diet high in saturated fats and low in fiber

• Sedentary lifestyle

• Smoking. This study found that smoking is significantly associated with an increased risk for colorectal cancer and death.

• Being physically inactive.

• Presence of polyps in the colon/rectum. Untreated polyps may eventually become cancerous.

• Having Crohn’s disease or Irritable Bowel Disease have a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Most colon cancers develop within polyps (adenoma). These are often found inside the bowel wall.

“Obesity is the prime suspect these days because we know that we’ve had decades of increasing body weight and we know that this actually causes cancer,” Siegel said. “But it doesn’t really make sense with that theory, because we’re not seeing the rise in blacks as well.”


Indeed, 48 percent of black Americans are obese, compared to 43 percent of Hispanics and 35 percent of white Americans, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

According to Siegel, “Most people under 55 are not going to develop colorectal cancer most cases are in older people.”

Symptoms of the colorectal cancer

• Bleeding from the rectum

• Bloody stools

• Abdominal cramping

• Changes in bowel habits  

• Unexplained weight loss. 

• Bloating in the abdomen. 

• A feeling of fullness in the abdomen (maybe even after not eating for a while).

• Vomiting

• Fatigue

• A lump in the tummy or a lump in the back passage felt by your doctor

• Unexplained iron deficiency in men, or in women after the menopause.

As most of these symptoms may also indicate other possible conditions, it is important that the someone who is having any of the above mentioned symptoms should see a doctor for a proper diagnosis. 

 To protect health, maintain a healthy body weight, stay physically active, avoid excess alcohol consumption and don’t smoke. Everyone should start recommended colonoscopies at age 50, and those with a family history of colorectal cancer should talk to their doctors about starting screening before age 50.

 As with other forms of cancer, colorectal cancer is a potentially debilitating disease. But, if it’s diagnosed and treated early, the results are more likely to be successful.

“It’s bad news in that we have this concerning trend and we don’t understand why,” Siegel said. “But in the meantime, while we’re waiting for more etiologic research to try to unlock the mystery, there are absolutely many things that we can do to reduce the morbidity and mortality from this disease.”