
You may have heard that colorectal cancer is increasingly affecting young adults. However, it is not the only gastrointestinal (GI) cancer that doctors are diagnosing in patients below the age of 50, explains Christina Wu, M.D., an oncologist at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Arizona.
“People under 50 are not too young to develop gastrointestinal cancers,” Dr. Wu says. “If young adults notice new or persistent symptoms, it’s important to get them worked up.”
At Mayo Clinic, early-onset gastrointestinal cancers are defined as GI cancers diagnosed in people under 50 years old. Research shows that the most common type of early-onset GI cancer worldwide is colorectal cancer, followed by stomach cancer, esophageal cancer and pancreatic cancer. Less common types of early-onset GI cancers include bile duct, gallbladder, appendix, neuroendocrine and small bowel cancers.
“More research needs to be done to understand what causes the rise in incidence of early-onset GI cancers,” Dr. Wu says. “We know that certain factors can increase the risk of developing GI cancers, and early detection gives patients a better chance of successful treatment.”
Risk factors
Several factors can increase the risk of developing early-onset GI cancers, including genetic conditions, chronic diseases and lifestyle:
- Lynch syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis are hereditary conditions that are associated with an increased risk of early-onset colorectal cancers.
- Inflammatory bowel disease and primary sclerosing cholangitis can increase the risk of developing GI cancers such as colorectal cancer and cholangiocarcinoma, respectively.
- A sedentary lifestyle, obesity, diets high in processed foods, alcohol consumption, smoking and environmental exposures may be associated with an increased risk of GI cancers.
Early detection and symptoms
Recommendations for when people at average risk for colorectal cancer should be screened vary by country but generally start in their 40s or early 50s. In the U.S., colorectal cancer screening is recommended to start at age 45 for people at average risk; people with risk factors such as a family history of colorectal cancer may need to start screening earlier.
Read full article: https://www.onclive.com/view/colorectal-cancer-isn-t-the-only-gastrointestinal-cancer-rising-in-young-adults







