Young and at an Increased Risk of Colorectal Cancer?

By , SparkPeople Blogger
Colorectal cancers are the third most common types of cancer for U.S. adults, with the exception of skin cancers, according to the American Cancer Society. It is estimated that nearly 50,000 people in the U.S. will die this year from colorectal cancer and there will be almost 150,000 new cases.

Ninety-one percent of new colorectal cancer cases are identified in those over the age of fifty. Because of this, widespread screening for this age group is recommended. Colonoscopy is the primary screening test to identify precancerous polyps in the bowel which can be removed before they can grow and spread. Widespread screening and awareness campaigns have resulted in decreased colorectal cancer rates in the U.S. for over a decade.

Unfortunately, people under the age of 50 do not get that same screening unless they have risks factors for colorectal cancer such as a family history, chronic inflammatory bowel disease or a predisposing genetic condition. This lack of screening provides ample opportunity for benign polyps to become cancerous and for early cancers to grow and spread.

According to a Los Angeles Times health report earlier this week, the incidence of colorectal cancers in people under the age of 50 has increased 17% over the last decade. Are you or someone you love at an increased risk?

The colon is the longest part of the large intestine and is shaped like an inverted "U". There are four portions to the colon – the ascending, transverse, descending and the sigmoid colon. As digestive matter travels through the intestines, the lining of the colon absorbs water, vitamins and minerals. The rectum is the last several inches of the large intestine where undigested material called feces or stool is stored before passing out of the body.

There are a variety of problems that can arise in the large intestine including conditions such as colorectal polyps, diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn's disease. While it is wonderful that the overall colorectal cancer rates have been declining for more than a decade, it is concerning that rates are on the rise for younger adults.

New findings published in the June issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention found that colorectal cancer rate increases are different based on gender and ethnicity for those between the ages of 20 and forty-nine. White men saw a 21% increase in colorectal cancer rates over the last decade while white women saw a 28% increase. Latino women did not see a significant change, however, latino men saw a 33% increase. Although there was no increase in colorectal cancer rates for African American men or women, the incidence of colorectal cancers is already higher in this group than in white or Latino men and women in the 20-49 age group.

Dr. Clifford Ko reported similar findings in a review of data from 2004. He found an increase in U.S. colorectal cancer rates in those between the ages of 20 and thirty nine. His findings along with those of this more current review suggest that questionable signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer in younger individuals should not be ignored. Those under the age of 39 that experience bleeding not related to hemorrhoids should undergo advanced screenings such as a colonoscopy.

Researchers speculate that part of the cause of the increased rates of colorectal cancers in younger Americans could be due to changes in lifestyle. Research conducted by The George Institute for International Health in Australia, recently looked at modifiable lifestyle risk factors for colorectal cancer such as diet, physical activity, presence of diabetes, smoking habits and alcohol consumption. They found that individuals with risk factors such as smoking, diabetes and obesity had a 20 percent greater risk of developing colorectal cancer. This is about the same risk as previous studies for risk related to high intakes of processed or red meat. They also found that physical activity lowered the risk of developing colorectal cancers while consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables provided little evidence of increased protection. The most surprising findings related to those that regularly consumed alcohol. Individuals that had more than seven drinks per week had a 60 percent greater risk of developing colorectal cancers than those that were non-drinkers.

The bottom line - Small positive lifestyle changes can lower your risk of developing colorectal cancer as well as many other illnesses such as cardiovascular disease. This is important for everyone but especially for those between the ages of 20 and 49 that have seen an increase in colorectal cancer rates over the last decade.

If you smoke, make a commitment to gradually cut back on your way to quitting completely. If you are working to lower your weight, keep at it with new resolve. Continue to include fruits, vegetables and whole grains daily while limiting your intake of red and processed meats in favor of other protein sources. If exercise is something you do because you have to but isn't something you enjoy, try new things to find what brings you joy in exercise. Perhaps most importantly, take an inventory of your alcohol consumption paying special attention to serving sizes as well as the number of servings you consume. Work to decrease your intake especially if you are consuming more than seven drink servings in a week.

Do you think young people between the ages of 20 and 39 believe they are at an increased risk of colorectal cancers? What can be done to increase awareness?