Colorectal cancer on the rise for millennials, Gen-Xers

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. — It’s been 17 years since then“Today” host Katie Couric famously underwent a videotaped colonscopy to raise awareness about the life-saving importance of early detection of colorectal cancer.

She did so in large part because her first husband, Jay Monahan, had succumbed to the disease in 1998 at just 42 years old.

Back then, a man Monahan’s age being diagnosed with colorectal cancer was considered among the rarest of medical anomalies.

That’s far less so today, according to the findings of a study published late last month in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The study, which was led by the American Cancer Society, found that, while the overall rate at which new colon and rectal cancer cases are diagnosed has been dropping in the U.S. for the last 30 years, young and early-middle-age adults have seen a sharp rise.

This should be particularly alarming for millennials because, according to the ACS, “Once age is taken into account, those born in 1990 have double Blood in stool Abdominal pain Change in bowel habits Constipation Narrow stools Excessive flatulence Anemia Fatigue Weight loss the risk of colon cancer and quadruple the risk of rectal cancer compared to people born around 1950, when risk was lowest.”

ACS researcher Rebecca Siegel expressed the cancer community’s concern as such: “Trends in young people are a bellwether for the future disease burden. Our finding that colorectal cancer risk for millennials has escalated back to the level of those born in the late 1800s is very sobering.”

The national findings confirm what local doctors said they’ve been noticing in their practices for years.

Dr. Brenda Jimenez, a gastroenterologist with Cleveland Clinic Florida, said that “on a purely anecdotal basis, I’ve definitely seen an increase in people in the 20s, 30s and 40s with colorectal cancer. In fact, the youngest colorectal cancer patient I had was just 19.”

Jimenez said that, in light of the ACS findings, Cleveland Clinic Florida will now do its own data-driven study on the ages of its past colorectal cancer patients to see if the rates of youngadult diagnoses correlate.

Doing likewise will be gastroenterologist Dr. Chester Maxson, medical director of Jupiter Medical Center’s Digestive Health Center. He believes that, once the medical community confirms the national study with its own data, then “it’s imperative that health insurance companies begin covering colonscopies done at earlier ages.”

Currently, most insurance companies cover colonoscopies for those age 50 and older. Maxson would like to see that “drop to age 40 or 45.”

Experts can only speculate as to what’s causing this sharp rise in younger colorectal cancer patients.

Among the theories mentioned:

■ Increased obesity/ decreased physical activity in younger folks.

■ Over-consumption of processed and/or high-glycemic foods.

■ Diets that don’t contain enough fiber.