Updated

Updated · Medscape · Jun 22

California Study Links 34% Higher Early-Onset Colon Cancer Risk to Males, 43% to Hispanics

Updated

Updated · Medscape · Jun 22

California Study Links 34% Higher Early-Onset Colon Cancer Risk to Males, 43% to Hispanics

Q: What common herbicide is now a prime suspect in the alarming rise of early-onset colorectal cancer?

The herbicide is **picloram**. While the Yale-led study highlighted demographic and birth-related risk factors for early-onset colorectal cancer, separate exposome research has identified picloram as a notable environmental suspect. That study found higher picloram exposure was consistently associated with early-onset colorectal cancer across multiple patient cohorts and in county-level U.S. data. Researchers described picloram as the strongest pesticide signal linked to the disease, stronger than other chemicals examined, including glyphosate. The association was supported by epigenetic analyses suggesting picloram may help drive cancer-related changes even without the gene mutations more commonly seen in colorectal tumors. The evidence does not yet prove picloram causes early-onset colorectal cancer, and scientists caution that more work is needed to rule out confounding factors and confirm the mechanism. But based on current research, picloram has emerged as a leading herbicide of concern in the rise of colorectal cancer among younger adults.

3 articles · Updated · Medscape · Jun 22

1,221 California early-onset colorectal cancer cases linked male sex to a 34% higher risk and Hispanic ethnicity to a 43% higher risk versus females and non-Hispanic White individuals.
Among females, every 500-gram increase in birthweight was associated with a 10% rise in risk, while having a father older than 35 was tied to a 56% increase.
A foreign-born mother was associated with lower overall risk — odds ratio 0.85 — with the protective effect stronger among males at 0.79.
The nested case-control study matched each case diagnosed at ages 0-39 during 1988-2021 with 50 controls from California birth records, then adjusted for demographic, birth, and parental factors.
Researchers said the findings help fill a gap on early-life risk factors for early-onset colorectal cancer, though small youth subgroups, missing parental education data, and possible unmeasured confounding limit certainty.

Sources

Medscape23h ago

Study Identifies Birth Factors Linked to Increased Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer Risk

Nature.com23h ago

Biological aging and generational shifts in early-onset cancer risk | Nature Medicine

WashU Medicine7h ago

Faster aging in younger generations linked to rise in early-onset cancer – WashU Medicine

6 Sources

Why does having a foreign-born mother appear to offer protection against early-onset colorectal cancer?

What common herbicide is now a prime suspect in the alarming rise of early-onset colorectal cancer?

Disparities in Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer: California Study Reveals High Risk for Hispanics and Barriers to Care

Overview

A major California study analyzed over 1,200 early-onset colorectal cancer cases and more than 61,000 controls to uncover key risk factors. The research found that Hispanic ethnicity is a significant risk factor for colorectal cancer, especially among young people, who are seeing rising rates of the disease. Hispanic individuals face many barriers to screening and care, such as language, cultural, and financial challenges. These findings highlight the urgent need for public health efforts to address these disparities and improve access to screening and treatment for at-risk groups.

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