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Why Colon Cancer Is Rising in Young Adults and What Survival Looks Like

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Incidence trends and long-term survival in early-onset colorectal cancer a nationwide Swedish study DOI- 10.1016j.annonc.2025.07.019

Colorectal cancer (CRC) used to be more common in older adults, but cases in people under 50—called early-onset CRC—are rising around the world. This study from Sweden looked at nearly 136,000 people diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer between 1993 and 2019 to understand how things have changed over time.

Here’s what they found:

⦿ More young adults are being diagnosed, especially with right-sided colon and rectal cancer.

⦿ Younger patients were more likely to have cancer that had already spread when it was found.

⦿ Still, their chances of survival were just as good or better than older patients when cancer stage was taken into account.

⦿ Survival has improved, but some people continue to have health risks 5 to 10 years after diagnosis, even when they’re considered “cured.”

This shows that while treatment is working better, long-term follow-up care is still important—even years after finishing treatment.

If you’re under 50 and have symptoms like blood in your stool, ongoing stomach pain, or changes in bowel habits, talk to your doctor. Colon cancer isn’t just an older person’s disease anymore.

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Dr. Harsh J Shah

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Dr Harsh Shah - GI & HPB Oncosurgeon in India
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