Decrease in Incidence of Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Before Recent Increase

Caitlin Claffey Murphy, Amit Singal, John A. Baron, Robert S. Sandler

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

69 Scopus citations

Abstract

The increasing incidence of colorectal cancer in younger adults (aged <50 years) has been widely reported. Using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program, we found young-onset colorectal cancer incidence rates decreased from 1975 through about 1990. Decreases were more prominent in the colon, a contrast with more recent increases in rectal cancer. Incidence rates subsequently increased, differing by time period and 5-year age group. This inflection point is consistent with a birth cohort effect and points to early life exposures—accumulated throughout the life course—that may increase cancer risk. Studying early life exposures among persons born after 1960 may advance our understanding of colorectal cancer in younger adults.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1716-1719.e4
JournalGastroenterology
Volume155
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2018

Keywords

  • Birth Cohort
  • Colorectal Neoplasia
  • Incidence
  • Young Adult

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Hepatology
  • Gastroenterology

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