Too Young For Colorectal Cancer? Think Again

For people in their 30s and 40s, the signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer can be easy to dismiss. After all, colorectal cancer is only a risk for people over the age of 50, right? Wrong, said Dr. David Hiller, a colorectal surgeon at Novant Health. A recent report indicates that the rate of new colorectal cases among Americans younger than 55 years of age have nearly doubled from 11% in 1995 to 20% in 2019. That’s 1 in 5 adults! While colorectal cancer is highly treatable when it’s caught early, 60% of all new cases were advanced in 2019, that’s up from 52% in the mid-2000s. The takeaway: Don’t ignore symptoms or your family history. In this episode of Meaningful Medicine Hiller will answer questions about the rise of colorectal cancer in younger patients. He’ll also share what symptoms to look out for and how screenings and treatments have advanced over the years.