At the special meeting of the 6th Ruesch Center Symposium held in December 2015, experts expressed the disturbing findings regarding early-stage large bowel (colon and rectum) cancers.
A 36-year-old father on dialysis, a 25-year-old health-conscious young woman with suspected pelvic inflammatory disease, and another 31-year-old young woman with a history of Crohn’s disease. cancer!
Although it is thought to be a common disease in elderly individuals, it is observed that large intestine (colorectal) cancers are now targeting individuals younger than 50 years of age. Sometimes even decades before the recommended age for first colonoscopy screening.
Thanks to the frequency of screening tests and observation programs including colonoscopy (imaging of the large intestine with a flexible tube with a small camera at the end) and stool tests, the incidence of colorectal cancer among individuals aged 50 and over in recent years and the life expectancy associated with this disease. loss rates are decreasing. However, for some reason, the incidence of colorectal cancer under the age of 50 is increasing rapidly in developed countries, and the reasons for this are not yet understood.
Looking at the statistical data, it was determined that the incidence of colorectal cancer increased by 1.5% in men and 1.6% in women per 100,000 young individuals in the United States between 1992 and 2005. Going back, the incidence of colon (17%) and rectal cancer (75%) increased in young individuals between 1973-1999.
In addition, it is seen that the high rate of death in young individuals with colorectal cancer is due to the diagnosis of the disease in advanced stages. In a study, it was determined that 86% of young individuals aged 50 years and younger who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer were symptomatic, that is, at a stage that now causes various signs and complaints.
It is worrying that colorectal cancer is diagnosed in advanced stages in young adults. Young people do not always understand the symptoms of this disease. In addition, doctors think that the probability of colorectal cancer in young individuals is low and treatment may be delayed due to this. So much so that the first diagnosis is wrong in approximately 15%-50% of the cases diagnosed with colorectal cancer at a young age. For this reason, it is important to support research on the main features of colorectal cancer in young adults and to raise awareness of individuals and doctors.
While doctors used to think that colorectal cancer is seen especially in young adults with Lynch syndrome in genetically inherited conditions, it is now known that more than 75% of young patients with colorectal cancer do not have a familial disease and are not hereditary. Moreover, while Lynch syndrome is associated with tumors developing on the right side of the colon; Cancers seen in young adults, which are not genetically transmitted, consist of tumors that develop on the left side of the colon and rectum. This shows that colorectal cancer seen in young people and not inherited is biologically quite different.
Some experts investigating the unique biology of colorectal cancers seen in young adults state that colon cancer is not the same for everyone, and that even if it develops in the same organ, the tumor has a unique genetic signature.
To investigate this confusion of colorectal cancer, the genetic profiles of tumors found in approximately 5000 patients were examined. Tumor differences were defined separately in young and old patients. Results will be shared at the upcoming American Society of Medical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium.
Apart from all these known factors, experts are investigating other factors that may affect the increase in the incidence of colorectal cancer at an early age. Accordingly, some trends have come to the fore, depending on the epidemiological data of adults younger than 50 years of age. Looking at the last 30 years, it has been seen that the rate of colorectal cancer in adults of the same age has increased in parallel with the increasing rate of obesity and diabetes in young adults. If it is necessary to question whether obesity and diabetes are really the cause, the parallel increase in the rates cannot be ignored.
Likewise, the increase in the consumption of sweet drinks and the decrease in milk consumption (protective calcium) may be another factor that increases the incidence of colorectal cancer. Therefore, a careful and healthy diet in young adults will not only reduce the risk of diabetes but also colorectal cancer.
Source:
Why Is Colorectal Cancer Targeting the Young?
Cynthia J. Gordon, PhD. January 20, 2016
http://www.medscape.com/
