Hassan Hashmi, General and Colorectal Surgeon at Las Vegas Surgical Associates, shared a post on X about a recent article by Rebecca L. Siegel et al, published in JAMA Network:
“Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related death in adults under 50 in the United States, according to a recent JAMA study.
This represents a troubling reversal in cancer mortality trends, as overall cancer deaths in younger adults have declined over the past three decades while colorectal cancer mortality has continued to rise, increasing by approximately 1.1% per year since 2005.
As a colorectal surgeon, I find this trend deeply concerning. Too often, younger patients are diagnosed at advanced stages, when treatment is more complex, options are more limited, and outcomes are significantly worse.
This data underscores an urgent message: Symptoms such as rectal bleeding, persistent changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, or unexplained anemia should never be dismissed at any age.
Early evaluation is critical, and appropriate screening saves lives. In parallel, continued research and prevention efforts are essential to understand why this disease is increasingly affecting younger adults and to reverse this alarming trend.
Awareness, timely evaluation, and screening are no longer optional. They are lifesaving.”
Title: Leading Cancer Deaths in People Younger Than 50 Years
Authors: Rebecca L. Siegel, Nikita Sandeep Wagle, Ahmedin Jemal
You can read the full article in JAMA Network.
More from Hassan Hashmi on OncoDaily.