Researchers reveal the groups most at risk of dying from bowel cancer at a young age

Scientists trying to understand the mysterious explosion of bowel cancer in young people say they have identified the groups most at risk.

Living in a low-income neighborhood and not having health insurance were associated with an increased risk of dying from the disease before age 50.

This is likely because these groups do not get tested and have poor access to healthcare, which allows the cancer to spread before it is noticed.

The study, by the University of California followed more than 20,000 US early-onset colorectal patients aged 18 to 49 years from different ethnic groups for more than four years after their diagnosis.

They found that the death rate among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders was 34 percent higher than among their peers.

Black individuals had an 18 percent increased risk and Hispanics had a 15 percent increased risk.

The researchers said socioeconomic factors drove the disparity because these minorities are more likely to live in high-poverty neighborhoods, with limited access to financial, educational and other resources.

They noted that “a growing body of evidence” also shows how rates of colon cancer are “rapidly rising” among Hispanic individuals, “suggesting that more needs to be done to address this burden in this large ethnic group in the U.S. to take.’

Colon cancer is rapidly increasing among young adults and is now the leading cause of cancer death in men under 50 in the US and the second leading cause in women of the same age.

They also noted differences regarding where the tumors were found, and among Asian American, Hispanic, non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native, and non-Hispanic white individuals, most tumors were located in the rectum.

Meanwhile, the majority of cancers in non-Hispanic black individuals were found in the first and middle parts of the colon (proximal) and in the last part of the colon (distal) in Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander individuals.

The location of tumors can lead to different symptoms.

For example, masses in the proximal colon can cause weight loss and microcytic anemia, while tumors in the distal colon can cause rectal bleeding and changes in bowel habits.

The researchers therefore urge people from different groups to be aware of all the symptoms that colon cancer can cause and to which they may be most susceptible.

The data comes amid an explosion in cancer cases in young people around the world, with bowel cancer among the fastest rising.

It is expected that between 2010 and 2030, the number of diagnoses in people aged 20 to 34 will increase by 90 percent.

The five-year survival rate for colon cancer is 64 percent, but that drops to 14 percent if the cancer has spread, which is common in early-onset cases because symptoms are often not present or misdiagnosed until the cancer spreads through the body. body has spread. .

Symptoms include changes in toilet habits, blood in the stool, weakness, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, a lump in the abdomen or rectum, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, constipation, and vomiting

Dr Pashtoon Kasi, medical director of gastrointestinal medical oncology at City of Hope Orange County in California, previously told DailyMail.com that he has seen a rapid increase in the number of under-50s diagnosed with colon cancer during his career.

He believes that a sedentary lifestyle and the consumption of ultra-processed foods and alcohol can create conditions that can influence the development of cancer at an earlier stage.

Additionally, researchers are beginning to investigate how antibiotic exposure in childhood is associated with the development of colorectal cancer, as well as exploring how the body’s gut microbiome plays a role.

In an effort to curb rising cancer rates among young people, Dr. Kasi said that “education is critical.”

He added: ‘Younger adults need to understand the symptoms and prioritize screening, which can detect cancer at its earliest, most treatable stages.

“Community physicians should also stay aware of these trends and proactively order necessary tests or investigations if symptoms persist.

‘Lifestyle changes are just as important. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, reducing alcohol consumption, not smoking, and avoiding ultra-processed foods are all tangible essential steps until we gain a better understanding of what else contributes.

‘In addition, continued investment in cancer research is crucial.’

The recent research of the University of California followed 22,834 American early-onset colorectal patients aged 18 to 49 years from different ethnic groups.

All cases were retrieved from the population-based California Cancer Registry (CCR).

Participants were diagnosed with colon cancer between 2000 and 2019 and had their condition checked an average of 4.2 years later.

Data analysis was then conducted between July 1, 2021 and September 30, 2024.

Along with race- and ethnicity-based disparities in mortality rates among patients with early-stage colon cancer, they looked at how economic status and social and neighborhood characteristics played a role in their health.

The researchers said their findings will help ‘tailor’ clinical and public health interventions in a more targeted way.

They conclude: ‘These findings provide new and important data that underscore the role of social determinants of health in early mortality from colorectal cancer and the need to address barriers to care to ensure greater survival for a form of cancer that affects individuals whose lives are at risk. broken down in their prime.”