Early-onset colon cancer cases surge globally but lowest in India: Study

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The early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as colon cancer, incidence rates among adults aged 25-49 are rising across the globe, but India shows the lowest rate among 50 countries, according to a new study.

The research, published in the journal The Lancet Oncology, showed early-onset CRC are rising in 27 of 50 countries/territories worldwide. Of these 20 have seen a faster rise in early-onset. In 14 other countries, including the US, rates are increasing in young adults while stabilising in those 50 years and older.

India, on the other hand, has shown the lowest incidence rate both in terms of early onset and among older adults.

"The increase in early-onset colorectal cancer is a global phenomenon," said lead author Dr. Hyuna Sung, senior principal scientist, of cancer surveillance research at the American Cancer Society. Sung stated that the trend was previously seen only among high-income Western countries, but now it's widespread.

The study aimed to examine contemporary CRC incidence trends in young versus older adults using data through 2017 from 50 countries/territories.

Chile, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Ecuador, Thailand, Sweden, Israel, and Croatia reported a faster rise in early-onset CRC among men than women. However, young women experienced faster increases in England, Norway, Australia, Türkiye, Costa Rica, and Scotland.

In 13 countries with increasing trends in both age groups, the annual percentage increase in young compared to older adults was larger in Chile, Japan, Sweden, the Netherlands, Croatia, and Finland, smaller in Thailand, Martinique, Denmark, Costa Rica, and similar in Türkiye, Ecuador, and Belarus.

For the last five years, the incidence rate of early-onset CRC was highest in Australia, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, the US, and the Republic of Korea (14 to 17 per 100,000) and lowest in Uganda and India (4 per 100,000).

Sung urged the need for innovative tools to prevent and control cancers linked to dietary habits, physical inactivity, and excess body weight.

The expert also called for raising awareness of the trend and the distinct symptoms of early-onset colorectal cancer such as rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, altered bowel habits, and unexplained weight loss among young people to boost diagnosis.