American Cancer Society Finds that Colon and Rectum Cancer is Increasing Among Young People

Cancer” by Steve Davis licensed under CC BY 2.0

Source: NY Times

Although 90% of all cases of colon and rectum cancer are found in people over the age of fifty, a new analysis from the American Cancer Society (ACS) reports that such cases have been steadily decreasing for those who are born between 1890 and 1950, but increasing for every generation born after 1950.

According to the ACS, this year there have been approximately 13,500 new cases of colon and rectal cancers diagnosed in Americans under the age of 50.

Rebecca Siegel, an epidemiologist from the ACS, says that people born in 1990 “have double the risk of colon cancer and quadruple the risk of rectal cancer”.

Although the overall risk is still relatively small in young people, the risk increases as they age.

Read full story at: NY Times

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