Speaking Out on Early-Age Onset Colorectal Cancer

While most think colorectal cancer is a disease that occurs in older adults, it is in fact increasingly being diagnosed in young adults. In fact, 11% and 18% of colon and rectal cancer diagnoses, respectively, occur in those under 50.

While research has not yet identified why this increase is occurring, there is still a clear need to raise more awareness around the topic. In particular, educating young adults, as well as primary care physicians, on the rise in early-age onset colorectal cancer occurrence, is a way to start the conversation.

In this week’s episode, CURE offers a sneak-peek into its Speaking Out video series featuring the Colon Cancer Foundation (CCF). We spoke with Dr. Zsofia Stadler, a co-director of the CCF’s annual EAOCRC Summit, on the rising incidence of colorectal cancer occurring in adults younger than age 50.

“(A young adult facing a colorectal cancer diagnosis) is not alone,” Stadler said. “They are not alone as patients. They are not alone in the field that is trying to study this.”