Rectal Cancer Rates in Under-50 Adults Jump 63% Since 1988 as Death Risk Climbs
Updated
Updated · HuffPost · Jun 27
Rectal Cancer Rates in Under-50 Adults Jump 63% Since 1988 as Death Risk Climbs
3 articles · Updated · HuffPost · Jun 27
Summary
Adults under 50 now face a 63% rise in colorectal cancer rates since 1988, with cases increasing from 8 to 13 per 100,000 and rectal cancer rising faster than colon cancer.
Doctors say rectal bleeding and abdominal pain are the most common warning signs, while thinner stools, constipation, fatigue, weight loss and anemia can also signal disease.
Screening remains critical because some patients have no symptoms; average-risk adults should start colonoscopy or stool-based testing at 45, with earlier checks for some people with first-degree family history.
Researchers still do not know the main cause, but they point to possible links including Western diets, obesity, diabetes, microbiome changes and broader environmental shifts affecting younger generations.
The trend is increasingly concentrated in millennials and Gen Z, and NBC reported rectal cancer could become the top cause of cancer deaths in people under 50 by 2035 if it continues.
Is our modern lifestyle fueling a colorectal cancer epidemic in young adults?
Why are doctors dismissing deadly cancer symptoms in the young until it's too late?
Early-Onset Rectal Cancer in Americans Under 50: A Rapidly Growing Public Health Emergency
Overview
Colorectal cancer is a major health concern in the United States, ranking as the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Alarmingly, early-onset rectal cancer—affecting people under 50—is rising, even as overall colorectal cancer rates remain high. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted health services, causing delays in cancer screening and diagnosis, which may have led to lower reported cases in 2020 and masked the true increase in early-onset cases. This growing trend highlights the urgent need for improved early detection, targeted prevention, and greater awareness among both the public and healthcare providers.