Colorectal cancer has long been considered a cancer that occurs late in life and affects adults. older. » But for several years, its incidence has increased significantly in younger populations. Particularly over the last two decades. In the United States, approximately 20% of colorectal cancer patients were under the age of 55 in 2019, twice as many as in 1995, according to theAmerican Cancer Society. Each year, this rate increases by 3% in people under 50 years of age. If this trend continues, this cancer could become one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in young adults as early as 2030. Beyond the United States, colorectal cancer is on the rise among young people in more than 27 countries according to a recent study, including France, Germany, New Zealand, Chile, Norway, Australia, Canada, Turkey, Israel, Uganda and many others.
In France, colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers, with more than 47,000 new cases each year; it represents the second leading cause of cancer death for all sexes combined. The country is following the same trend observed internationally: between 2000 and 2020, the incidence of colorectal carcinomas increased by 1.43 % per year among 15-39 year-olds according to the first study specifically focusing on adolescents and young adults, explains Public Health France. Until now, no explanation has been put forward to explain this overall increase in colorectal cancer among young populations. Patients often have no family history of the disease and few known risk factors, such as obesity or hypertension.
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