Bowel cancer rates are rising in young adults, but do we know what’s behind the increase?

I be interested in understanding the percentage increase in relation to the percentage increase in population. This takes into account the baby boom of the 60’s, which includes a number of the people included in this age group, and then there are their children, many of whom are in the lower part of this bracket. Also, does this research take into account that the older generation have always eaten healthier because there was little choice. Many of the older generation will still be eating far healthier because they have spent most of their lives without processed foods.

Is it just me or have cancer rates increased since the events of chernobyl.

The screening age needs to be lowered I was 43 when I was diagnosed luckily it was caught and treated before it became terminal I had to get second option as doctors fisrt put symptoms down to hemeroids, my surgeon told me that I would of been terminal or worse if I not been diagnosed till screening age

I had colon cancer 20 years ago I then ate healthy no beef or bacon no processed food ate all the healthy things Turmeric black pepper and Olive oil and loads of fruit and veg and nearly everything was was classed as healthy and then early 2019 had blocked bowel and later we s told it was cancer not the original cancer but a new one at the other end of the bowel the cancer was cleared but one cell stuck to the bowel wall so I am on tablet chemotherapy hoping to stop the can er returning.So all that healthy eating a drinking and exercise did not stop me getting a new cancer in the bowel

Thanks for this. It looks as if b.c. is a preventable thing so I hope for great success for you. My husband just died of rectal/bowel cancer. It was not nice and has now deprived my of my wonderful devoted life companion. I do donate.

This is all about cost !
Politicians have the power to influence educative adverts on tv for such cancers,or education via media generally to enlighten .Surgery effective as lots of bowel in terms of length to play with .

I was 50 when diagnosed after many months of symptoms being put down to IBS. Never smoked or drank alcohol and only put on weight when pregnant. Had surgery – a ileum rectum anastomosis no chemo or radio. I am now 75 and am very glad to be here. One of my daughters has ulcerative colitis and has colonoscopies regularly. It worries me that she could develop cancer. My surgeon told me to talk about it as much as i could to raise awareness. He said “people dont worry about talking about what they put in their top end but not about what comes out at the other end”

Very useful information
Thank you

Has any research been done into the effect of electronic devices on our internal organs. Many of the younger generation are carrying mobile phones in their pockets and close to their bowel area, could this be triggering the cancers? Just a thought. I think we need a lot more research is required in this area, especially as younger and younger children are using them.

I am a 47 year old who has recently had surgery for Stage 2 Bowel Cancer. I am not overweight, have never smoked, eat lots of fibre and a largely vegetarian diet. I was also very active. Other young people who I have met through having Bowel cancer also tend largely not to fit the stereotypes so it is hard to read about these risk factors.

Thank you. Interesting research. Both my husband and I have had bowel cancer and are always concerned about a genetic link for our family.

Im female and I’d just turned 39 when I was diagnosed it was the Dec 2017 and looking back I’d had symptoms since March/Apr however my symptoms were pain near my left hip and constipation very much IBS symptoms, I’d not long lost my mum so believed it was IBS due to that. I had bloods done at the Dr’s and my iron was under 4, I was fast tracked for a colonoscopy. I was told at colonoscopy my tumour was 6cm so not small! I have never smoked, rarely drink and am active with young children, I do not eat red meat! I do have a lot of stress though, I truly believe this was the cause. I had chemo/radio followed by a huge resection then more chemo, I’m now on regular checks and I know Im not out of the woods. Im back at work now but since diagnosis also suffer with anxiety, it’s awful, it’s something I just have to learn to live with but it’s not easy. My tumour was tested but was not genetic, I was just very unlucky!

My family member took I’ll last april2018 had all the screening , scans but they never screened her small intestine in feb2019 they found she had a rare form of cancer in her small intestine and is now fighting for her life why did they not screen this they should have so I would like people to know when they screen you for bowel cancer they only do your large bowel.Just make sure you get tested for your small bowel too.

I am a bit concerned to see that bowel cancer screening stops at age 74. Why is this ? I am 75 and I don’t like to think that I have been written off .

A close family member died at the age of 21 from bowel cancer and had spent numerous visits to see drs and hospital only to be misdiagnosed and sent home again. Unfortunately it was all far too late by the time they finally took her symptoms seriously and within a short time it took her young life all too soon. It was explained after her diagnosis that she probably had early symptoms from the age of 16 but was unaware of it and putting it down to IBS. She was fit, healthy and active so definitely didn’t meet the criteria of being in a ‘at risk’ category. Let’s hope this awareness will go on to help find the missing pieces to the puzzle and help save more young lives. Keep up the good work Cancer Research it’s all very much appreciated.

BBC Horizon episode “Should We Eat Meat?”
explains links found between Nitrate and Nitrite preservatives found in all ham and pork products (like sausages bacon and salamis) to bowel cancer, as follows:
Nitrates/Nitrites + Stomach Acid = Nitosamines. Nitrosamines are known to be carcinogenic.

Younger people are possibly eating more processed (junk) food with ham/pork/salami in than older adults and that could easily be in addition to a normal amount of bacon and sausage they eat as well.

My hope is that further research will be done into Nitrates and Nitrites, and the food industry will simply replace this type of preservative with a known safer type.
At the very least it would be a good place to start, given what is currently known about Nitrates/Nitrites.

Screening is a must for under 50’s and the sooner it happens the better. Thanks for info!😀

I think it’s madness not to reduce the age of screening at least to 50 like alongside Scotland, Wales and Ireland and don’t see why we should be different.

I think it’s madness not to reduce the age of screening at least to 50 like alongside Scotland, Wales and Ireland and don’t see why we should be different

Its great to hear and know the information caner research is providing. Keep up the grat work and i will continue donating. Thankyou

My son died at 30 from bowel cancer. He’d had symptoms – including pain and bleeding – ignored by GPs for two years before a locum finally investigated – after my son collapsed – but by then it was too late. He was never obese, was always active and there was no history of cancer in the family. The sooner GPs start considering this as a possibility in younger people the better.

My daughter also died of bowel cancer aged just 29. She was also told it was IBS when she visited the emergency clinic. She was then told it could be her gall bladder. She even had a stool test. It was only when I eventually took her to A&E that they kept her in as her liver functions were abnormal. From eventual diagnosis to the day she died was just over 5 weeks

My son died of bowl cancer at the age of 29. He had a number of appointments with different doctors and was told it was IBF. I also toke him to A&E a number of time in pian. It was on the second visit to A&E we refused to leave until they had carried out more tests. He was then diagnosed with cancer.

too many pointless chemicals in all we eat. Did Adam and Eve eat Big Macs? – No

Responding to Charles, I suggest morbidity rates are more significant as improved treatments have an impact on mortality.

I agree with the fact that doctors need to be more aware that bowel cancer is posible in young adults. Our son died of bowel cancer at 30 despite going to the doctor with stomach and back pain for 18months. He was fobbed off with different theories and when we lost him our doctor said “he was too young” not much hep to him or us. Carry on your good work and hopefully more lives can be saved.

I had bowel cancer at 39, and also have Crohn’s. My grandmother had it at 48, suggesting a genetic link, but I don’t have the genes already linked to bowel cancer. How can I be included in a study?

It’s a call for us all to live a healthy lifestyle,not go over the top and not a beer or a glass of wine,but keep a good weight,eat plenty fruit and veg ,not so much red meat ,and above all keep moving , running,biking long walks ,get out there ,…does your heart good too !

The Comment from B Rich is surely not thought out ? Wow! You can get many cancers. For someone to say ‘oh it’s what you put in your mouth is rich.

Good article. I have the FAP/AFAP gene and had over a hundred polyps removed. Just found out my son has the same gene age 38. Only found out through testing and genetic testing.

This rise in incident cases in younger adults is most likely underpinned by the increase in incidental detection due to a general widespread upsurge in use of radiological imaging over the years (as has very clearly been the case with kidney cancer over the last 40 years). Increased awareness of bowel cancer in young people has lead to empowerment in the GP clinic to push for referrals upon recognition of symptoms. Discussion on rising incidence of cancer in general needs to be carefully considered as a trend of increased detection of earlier stage, curable disease is being confused with ‘more people getting cancer’. Mortality rates are the key epidemiological data to focus on. These are generally decreasing due to a massive paradigm shift in the treatment landscape over the last 15 years or so (ie targeted therapies and now immunotherapies).

I can tell you the cause; the damn food with all the chemicals and process foods. The only way something get into your bowels is through your mouth.