Colon Cancer Rates Rise Sharply Among Young Adults

Colon cancer rates are rising by over 2% annually among adults under 55, with millennials facing double the risk compared to those born in 1950. Key risk factors include poor diet, obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and disruptions to the gut microbiome. Recent research links gut bacteria like E. coli producing colibactin to increased DNA damage and cancer risk. Advances in screening, such as at-home fecal occult blood tests, multitarget stool DNA tests, and the Colon Age calculator, are improving early detection and personalized risk assessment. Colon cancer survivors are at a heightened risk of developing multiple primary cancers, underscoring the need for long-term surveillance. Experts now recommend regular colon cancer screening starting at age 45 due to the increase in early-onset cases.