Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), colorectal cancer accounts for approximately 10% of all cancer cases and is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.
The cancer is now among the leading causes of cancer deaths for young adults, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society (ACS).
Dr Pradeep Kumar Jain, Principal Director & HOD LAP GI, GI Onco, Bariatric & MIS Surgery, Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh told Financial Express.com colorectal cancer ranks as the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer.
“In the past, it was more common in the older age group i.e. more than 60 years of age. But according to Colorectal Cancer Registry incidence of colorectal cancer has been increasing in younger than 50 years of age group (young adults) since last two decades. The increased incidence is due to altered dietary patterns, including high intake of processed foods, red meat, fatty foods, sugar beverages, decreased intake of fibers and micronutrients, sedentary behavior with increased use of tobacco and alcohol leading to increase in obesity and metabolic syndromes among young adults,” Dr. Jain said.
Genetic factors also played a role, because 23-39 percent of patients with young onset colorectal cancer have a family history of colorectal cancer, he added.
“Other less common factors include decreased growth of intestinal flora due to antibiotic treatment in childhood and adulthood. Because colorectal cancer in young adult is very aggressive, so clinicians should be hypervigilant of colorectal cancer alarming symptoms and screening colonoscopy should be started from 45 years of age in order to evaluate diagnose and treat colorectal cancer in an efficient manner,” he said.
Dr Vinay Samuel Gaikwad, Director, Surgical Oncology (The Oncology Centre), CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram explained that colorectal cancer is cancer of the colon and rectum which is the large intestine.
“And it is true that worldwide in younger people the incidence of colorectal cancer is rising, even in India. So, this is because of various factors such as diet which is becoming westernized like the use of processed food, red meat and other contaminants in the food because the food is indirectly in contact with the mucosa or the lining of the colon and rectum,” Dr. Gaikwad told Financial Express.com.
Also, more and more familial and hereditary cancers are being detected. So, these cancers are being passed down from generation to generation and therefore, each generation gets younger, he added.
“So, if the previous generation developed the cancer at say 50 years, then the younger generation may develop it at 40 years, and so on. Therefore, cancers are rising in the younger age, especially colorectal cancer,” he said.
Alcohol can also be attributed to this rise in colorectal cancer cases, he said.
“Younger people have high levels of alcohol intake, so it can also be a contributing factor. Generally, pollutants, diet, and lack of antioxidants contribute to this rise. Also, one of the factors for this is early detection and awareness which has led to more cases coming out,” he told Financial Express.com.
