Colon cancer is killing more young people in the U.S. than any other cancer

"Encouragingly, cancer mortality overall in the age group decreased by 44 percent. But rates of colorectal cancer among younger people have been steadily increasing in recent decades, and the disease has leaped from the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths in 1990 to the first in 2023. It is an inflection point, says William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society. This is the first time it's number one for cancer deaths overall for those under the age of 50."

"Deaths from all other leading cancers, including breast, lung and pancreatic cancers, have declinedwhich Dahut largely attributes to improvements in therapies. I think this is another important statement that our investment as a nation in science to develop better treatments is paying off in our young adults, he says. In contrast with these positive trends, the colorectal cancer mortality rate has been the only one that has worsened."

Annual U.S. mortality rates from 1990 to 2023 for the five deadliest cancers in adults under 50 were examined. Overall cancer mortality in that age group decreased by 44 percent. Colorectal cancer mortality among younger people steadily increased and rose from the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths in 1990 to the first in 2023. Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer deaths among men under 50 and the second among women after breast cancer, and it has become the leading cause overall. Deaths from other leading cancers, including breast, lung and pancreatic cancers, declined, a change attributed largely to improved therapies.

Read at www.scientificamerican.com