Colon cancer is spiking for younger adults, doctors say
It's approximated that 27,000 people under the age of 50 will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2030.
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Dr. Barry Boyd from Yale New Haven Health says there has an alarming increase in colon cancer among young people over the past several decades.
It's approximated that 27,000 people under the age of 50 will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2030.
"We think we have to move ahead the screening to young adults…so we can be sure that we keep up with that and identify people before they're symptomatic," says Boyd.
The cause of colorectal cancer in young adults is still unknown. Researchers say the most common warning signs in early onset cases of the disease are diarrhea, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain and iron deficiency anemia.
Doctors say because there often aren't symptoms, a screening with colonoscopy is key if a person has a precancerous lesion or polyp. Doctors can remove it before it has a chance to turn into cancer.
"Everyone is at risk. I think we need to pay attention to minimizing our risk and if we have signs or risk factors seeking medical attention," says Boyd.
