From Denise Mann
HealthDay reporter
THURSDAY, May 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) – Colon cancer is on the rise in people under the age of 50, and the million dollar question is why.
New research suggests that certain lifestyle factors like lots of red meat and heavy alcohol consumption may play a role in this increase.
“Colon cancer incidence in people under the age of 50 is increasing in many countries, but the causes are little known [and] Our research is the first large-scale effort to identify these causes and provides early guidance for identifying those most at risk, “said study author Richard Hayes, professor of population health and environmental medicine at NYU Langone Health in New York City.
The results are in line with Tuesday’s announcement by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to lower the recommended age for initial colonoscopy screening in people with an average risk of colon cancer from 50 to 45.
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To get a better understanding of what lifestyle factors may play a role in the increase in colorectal cancer in young people, the researchers analyzed data from 13 studies that included people who developed colorectal cancer before 50 and after 50, as well as their counterparts without History of colon cancer.
In addition to consuming more red meat and consuming excessive amounts of alcohol, people diagnosed with early-stage colon cancer did not regularly take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like aspirin and did not get as far in school as their counterparts that did have not developed cancer by the age of 50. Daily low-dose aspirin can lower the risk of colon cancer.
All of these factors also increase the risk of developing colon cancer after age 50. In contrast, body mass index (BMI, an estimate of body fat based on height and weight) and smoking were not risk factors for early-onset colon cancer, but they were in later-onset cases.
When researchers broken down colon cancer risk by where the cancer was found, they found that people who didn’t eat enough high-fiber foods were more likely to develop cancer of the rectum than the colon.
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These risks are similar for men and women, Hayes said. The research did not include enough blacks or non-whites to draw conclusions about race’s role in risk of colon cancer before age 50, he said.
“It is important that this area of research be expanded to other racial and ethnic groups in the future,” said Hayes.
The study was published in the June 2021 issue of JNCI Cancer Spectrum magazine.
“This study tells us a little about younger people who have these risk factors. If they came with abdominal symptoms and had some of these risks, we may recommend earlier or more frequent screening,” said Dr. Neeha Zaidi, an assistant professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore. She was not involved in the new study.
The increase in colon cancer in people under the age of 50 is likely not due to genes, said Heather Hampel, genetic counselor at Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Molecular Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program.
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“It’s good that the new paper confirmed some of these risks that we’ve seen in other studies, but we were hoping to identify something specific to early-onset colon cancer that may have been new since 1960,” she said.
“There is no smoking weapon as to why early-stage colon cancer is increasing so dramatically,” said Hampel, who was not part of the study.
Until researchers find the cause, the best way to stay ahead of colorectal cancer is to follow screening guidelines, know your family history, and eat healthily, she said.
More information
Learn about the new colon cancer screening recommendations from the US Preventive Services Task Force.
SOURCES: Richard Hayes, DDS, PhD, MPH, Professor of Population Health, Environmental Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York City; Neeha Zaidi, Assistant Professor of Oncology, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore; Heather Hampel, LGC, MS, genetic counselor, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Molecular Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program, Columbus; JNCI Cancer Spectrum, June 2021
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