The number of under-50s being diagnosed with bowel cancer is increasing worldwide, according to research that also reveals rates are rising faster in

Bowel cancer rising among under-50s worldwide, research finds

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2024-12-12 08:30:04

The number of under-50s being diagnosed with bowel cancer is increasing worldwide, according to research that also reveals rates are rising faster in England than almost any other country.

For the first time, global data suggests doctors are seeing more young adults develop early-onset bowel cancer, from Europe and North America to Asia and Oceania.

An increase in rates was reported in 27 of the 50 countries examined, with the greatest annual increases seen in New Zealand (4%), Chile (4%), Puerto Rico (3.8%), and England (3.6%).

Experts are still in the early stages of understanding the reasons behind the rise. The authors of the study, published in the Lancet Oncology, said consumption of junk food, high levels of physical inactivity and the obesity epidemic were likely to be among the factors.

“The increase in early-onset colorectal cancer is a global phenomenon,” said Hyuna Sung, a senior principal scientist in cancer surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the study. “Previous studies have shown this rise in predominately high-income western countries, but now it is documented in various economies and regions worldwide.”

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