Why Are Young Guys Suddenly Getting Colon Cancer?

[platocplx]

Kimmie Ng, M.D., a Boston oncologist, started noticing an alarming trend in her work a few years ago. Men in their 20s, 30s, and 40s—runners, CrossFitters, lifelong nonsmokers—were streaming through her door at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. They all appeared lively and strong—yet there they were, battling colorectal cancers, a family of diseases that can start in the colon or rectum and are typically associated with older people and those with risk factors like family history and obesity.

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Colorectal cancers are the third-most-frequent type of new cancer in men (right behind prostate and lung). And while they're declining for older guys, the rates among younger Americans are on the rise. What doctors have been picking up on in their day-to-day work is only now being fully captured in medical research and in the news. In 2017, a large American Cancer Society-funded study of invasive colorectal cancers found that people born around 1990 have double the risk of developing colon cancer and quadruple the risk of developing rectal cancer compared with those born around 1950—a finding worrisome enough to prompt the ACS to lower its recommended screening age for people of average risk of colorectal cancers from 50 to 45. If the trend continues, a study in JAMA Surgery predicted, by 2030 the rate of colon cancer will rise by 90 percent and that of rectal cancer by a staggering 124 percent in people ages 20 to 34.

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The great majority of early-onset colorectal cancers start in the rectum, the lowest part of the colon, which can be linked with symptoms like rectal bleeding and constipation, says Robin Mendelsohn, M.D., a gastroenterologist and researcher at MSK's Center for Young Onset Colorectal Cancer. If you're seeing blood in your stool or on the toilet paper; if you notice stools narrowing or changing consistency; or if you have nausea, stomach pain, or bloating—any new or odd symptom that lasts "more than a couple of weeks," she says—don't write it off. If you get pushback from your doc about testing—and you might, as up to 17 percent of early-onset colorectal-cancer patients are initially misdiagnosed, according to a recent Colorectal Cancer Alliance (CCA) survey—push right back. "When we catch these cancers early, we can treat them more effectively," Dr. Mendelsohn says.

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More at the link. But um holy shit and right now they recommend people get checked at 45, but im just gonna say fuck it and get check starting this year and call my doc. This is extremely alarming. especially seeing what happened with Chadwick. Im extremely concerned.

Why Are Young Guys Suddenly Getting Colon Cancer?

What to know about the puzzling trend you don’t want to be part of.

www.menshealth.com

 

[mrmickfran]

I'm in my mid 20s and I'm considering it. Better safe than sorry

 

[Qikz]

This is very scary, because when you have IBS your stools are often changing depending on what's happening and due to the amount I sometimes need to go the skin around the area after wiping can sometimes start bleeding.

I assume they're not talking about that kind of blood right?

EDIT: This was answered already, no need to quote again, thanks!

 

[S1kkZ]

will make an appointment for a screening in the upcoming weeks (its a bit difficult right ow, with the pandemic going). 36 years old but its never too soon to get that shit checked out. chadwicks death was a wake up call to take that shit serious.

 

[CrankyJay]

If you get pushback from your doc about testing—and you might, as up to 17 percent of early-onset colorectal-cancer patients are initially misdiagnosed, according to a recent Colorectal Cancer Alliance (CCA) survey—push right back.

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Yup, this is my experience. Doc brushed off my concerns multiple times, even the person I called to schedule the colonoscopy was giving me shit for scheduling at 39 years old.

 

[NunezL]

Probably a lot of environmental factors like alimentation we're still not fully understanding.
These types of studies are really hard.

 

[Transistor]

I just turned 35 and I'm considering going and getting a colonoscopy done.

 

[Teiresias]

I actually just had a colonoscopy a few months ago (at 40yo) to rule out some more serious things for IBS symptoms/issues which luckily came back negative for everything

 

[SquirrelSaysNuts]

I assume they're not talking about that kind of blood right?

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Yes, that's not the blood they are talking about.

 

[jml]

This is very scary, because when you have IBS your stools are often changing depending on what's happening and due to the amount I sometimes need to go the skin around the area after wiping can sometimes start bleeding.

I assume they're not talking about that kind of blood right?

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Generally no, that just sounds like some irritation. Actual bloody stool is a different type of thing.

 

[platocplx]

Probably a lot of environmental factors like alimentation we're still not fully understanding.
These types of studies are really hard.

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Yeah we definitely need way more studies on our gut bacteria, it seems really like there are a lot of factors, I'm definitely making sure I get more than enough fiber going forward, I def have some issues at times when it comes to bowel movements, also limiting how much sugar I consume and also I'm planning on drinking way way less. I def see alcohol can destroy your gut too.

I just turned 35 and I'm considering going and getting a colonoscopy done.

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I just turned 35 as well. I'm on the phone right now and going to schedule one. And I'm going to have a yearly one going forward. The biggest issue with this as welL is many time Younger people don't go until symptoms are totally showing.

 

[phonicjoy]

This is very scary, because when you have IBS your stools are often changing depending on what's happening and due to the amount I sometimes need to go the skin around the area after wiping can sometimes start bleeding.

I assume they're not talking about that kind of blood right?

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No, but with IBS its probably a good idea to have one every few years anyways. Late thirties and I have a check every 3 years.

 

[Qikz]

Yes, that's not the blood they are talking about.

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Phew. Thanks.

 

[SecondNature]

Generally no, that just sounds like some irritation. Actual bloody stool is a different type of thing.

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...elaborate please? For my own sake :)

 

[Okabe]

I just turned 35 and I'm considering going and getting a colonoscopy done.

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Honestly you just should.

(not trying to sound mean or anything just yeah...you should)

 

[Mendrox]

So many of my friends including me have colon problems. When I was 18 I had bowel obstruction and nobody knew what was wrong at first except that I couldn't take a shit anymore.

After 5 days of pain and vomitting and I told my mum to kill me which kick started her going wild and having a doctor take a real look at me. My tummy looked like I was pregnant because of all the air inside of me and shit. Had to immediately get emergency surgery and I almost died because I almost exploded inside. They had to remove 40cm of my colon and everything healed nicely.

Back then they didn't know how I could even get that this early and now an article like this and knowing problems of my friends makes me curious what changed back then. I was born in 1991 so....

This is very scary, because when you have IBS your stools are often changing depending on what's happening and due to the amount I sometimes need to go the skin around the area after wiping can sometimes start bleeding.

I assume they're not talking about that kind of blood right?

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No that is the harmless kind of people. Everyone with IBS or using toilet paper wildly will have that. It's the same tissue as your mouth so it can bleed easily.

 

[Zyrokai]

How often is too often for a check? I'm 32 and this is pretty scary stuff. Is a colonoscopy the only way? The article mentions some kind of still check as well though, I think???

 

[AlteredBeast]

My brother, 36 years old at the time, got colorectal cancer. No history of cancer on either side of the family of any kind going back two generations.

 

[SquirrelSaysNuts]

Apparently all researchers aren't in the dark about risk factors:

"Most colorectal cancers are due to old age and lifestyle factors, with only a small number of cases due to underlying genetic disorders.[2][3] Risk factors include diet, obesity, smoking, and lack of physical activity.[2] Dietary factors that increase the risk include red meat, processed meat, and alcohol.[2][4] Another risk factor is inflammatory bowel disease, which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.[2] Some of the inherited genetic disorders that can cause colorectal cancer include familial adenomatous polyposis and hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer; however, these represent less than 5% of cases.[2][3] It typically starts as a benign tumor, often in the form of a polyp, which over time becomes cancerous.[2]"
-Wikipedia

 

[Lobster Roll]

This is very scary, because when you have IBS your stools are often changing depending on what's happening and due to the amount I sometimes need to go the skin around the area after wiping can sometimes start bleeding.

I assume they're not talking about that kind of blood right?

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The blood they're talking about is like .. looking into the bowl and you see blood kinda filtering out or your stool is DARK despite not eating anything that would make it that way.

 

[CrankyJay]

You can take this with a grain of salt, but my brother is a cancer researcher, his wife is an oncologist, so whenever I visit them a bunch of their colleagues are around and they all seem to think that the prevalence of corn-fed beef could be a major contributing factor to the rise.

They all basically think if you want to eat beef, go for the grass-fed stuff.

Grass-fed beef has the lowest red meat cancer risk

Eating red meat that has grazed on grass its entire life poses a potentially lower risk of cancer than pellet-fed beef, according to research by Mayo Clinic.

www.foodnavigator-usa.com

 

[FreshYoungDoggo]

There has been a strong connection to the increase risk of colon cancers to the consumption of processed meats and red meats.
Which there is a weird connection to masculinity and eating lots of red meat. On top of the popularity of meat heavy diets like keto.

From 2011

 

[Alastor3]

Good thing i dont have a Colon anymore

 

[S1kkZ]

How often is too often for a check? I'm 32 and this is pretty scary stuff. Is a colonoscopy the only way? The article mentions some kind of still check as well though, I think???

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there are alternatives but nothing beats the colonoscopy. i am super scared, so i will probably pay extra so i can get a light narcotic.
ususally, a check-up is every 6-10 years here in germany.

 

[Truckondo]

How does this work with insurance companies? I'm sure they don't want to be on the hook paying for these tests of younger people. Hearing about his death really shook me as I am the same age.

 

[Deleted member 2834]

It says the probably doubled, but is the % of a 30yo being diagnoses with colon cancer in 2017?

 

[ryan299]

I got tested in my mid 20s. Process sucks but I was clean and they said I was good for 10+ years.

 

[jml]

...elaborate please? For my own sake :)

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If you regularly see blood in the toilet bowl and/or mixed in with the stool itself then that's something you should get checked out. Especially if the blood is a darker color (to my knowledge darker blood usually means it's passed through more of your body which indicates something is wrong internally). If it just happens once it might not be a problem and it could be a result of something you ate but if it's happening more frequently than that it could be a problem.

(Not a doctor, but I have Crohn's so I have some experience dealing with this sort of thing)

 

[Josh5890]

I thought I would wait until I hit 40 to worry about this stuff. Just turned 30 this year and I'm thinking about going.

 

[The Albatross]

...elaborate please? For my own sake :)

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If you have messy shits and you wipe a million times, you can cause bleeding and irritation around your butthole which can then end up on the paper. This happens pretty consistently with me if I've eaten poorly (wings, pizza, beer, etc, and get the shits from it). This usually resolves within a day or two of normal bowel movements, or even within the next day once your butthole has some time to repair itself.

Bloody stool is different, where you're bleeding internally somewhere near the exit, and the blood comes out during your bowel movements. You can google images of it. I suppose if you've ever seen period blood in the toilet it's closest resembling to that.

 

[ianpm31]

Don't wait until your 50 for a colonoscopy no matter how young you are. Take me for an example (31 yrs old) I was having constipation issues for the first time and went to the doctor and he recommended to get a colonoscopy so I can have a peace of mind. Got the colonoscopy done and turned out I had 3 polyps that came back pre-cancerous which means I could have possibly been in deep trouble in my late 30s and never knew it coming. Now I get check ups every 4 to 5 years just to be safe. I'm so thankful that I had unrelated issues because that possibly saved my life from colon cancer. Get a colonoscopy people it's super easy and nothing to it.

 

[Maligna]

Get a colonoscopy people it's super easy and nothing to it.

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Had a colonoscopy once. They must have poked me at one point while turning a corner in my intestine because it felt like I had been stabbed in the guts by a big knife. Not pleasant. Made me scared to go back, but I probably should as it's been a few years.

 

[Christian]

I am immune to colon cancer.

 

[Zyrokai]

there are alternatives but nothing beats the colonoscopy. i am super scared, so i will probably pay extra so i can get a light narcotic.
ususally, a check-up is every 6-10 years here in germany.

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Gotcha, thank you. I might try and get a check.

I drink too much alcohol. I need to stop. That's probably the biggest risk factor for me. This definitely is a wake up call.

 

[Rocketz]

A long time sports reporter/ radio personality in Detroit just passed away a few weeks ago as well from colon cancer. He was 48.

I'm only 32 but I'll be trying to get in earlier than normal.

 

[slow-twitch]

I wouldn't be surprised that a surge in colon cancer in fitness oriented invididuals (like the article suggests) comes from the many unsafe (but effective) performance enhancing compounds like cardarine that are widely available and used nowadays.

 

[Excuse me]

I do wonder if it's the meat consumption that has increasing decade by decade. But then again all generations are eating more meat, so if there isn't increase with older people then I don't know how well consumption of meat is fitting here. Maybe older generations still eat more balanced meals even if they eat more meat (enough fiber, etc.).

 

[wenis]

Boy I'm glad my insurance sucks!

 

[Common Knowledge]

As someone with Crohn's, yearly colonoscopies and constant concern of possibly developing colon cancer are a big part of my life.

 

[ZeroDS]

Man my stomach has been bad recently and my stools have been all over the place. This may be gross but stools leak colour and it freaks me out. My doc says it's nothing but everyone I've talked to has no idea what I'm talking about with leaking colour. Like maybe I'm being a hypochondriac but it always looks like blood to me

 

[Tathanen]

Almost 38 and experiencing a lot of the symptoms in the OP, blood, constipation, varying consistency. I actually did go to the GI about a lot of it tho and got a colonoscopy but it wasn't explicitly to "check for cancer," just to generally diagnose my issues. I feel like they said "no signs of cancer" as part of the report but I dunno if there's a specific thing they have to check for beyond "cancer is there now" or not, wondering how thorough of a report I really got. :\

 

[jml]

As someone with Crohn's, yearly colonoscopies and constant concern of possibly developing colon cancer are a big part of my life.

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Yeah every time I get a Crohn's flareup with symptoms that are slightly different from my usual symptoms I start to have some anxiety about what my next colonoscopy is gonna show.

 

[Aisod]

I had it done earlier this year just for preventative purposes and it cost me nearly 4 grand. The doctor was telling me insurance doesn't typically cover preventative exams if under 50. Im in my mid 30s but my Grandma died of colon cancer which is why I wanted to be cautious.

 

[Mona]

i was born in 89 so im good

 

[J2C]

I had a colonoscopy when I was 20, which ended up just diagnosing hemorrhoids. From which I would say causes fairly persistent bleeding and constipation. I always assumed those symptoms obstruct other signs of bleeding or things that might signal colon cancer. 33 now, considering getting a colonoscopy to be consistent and attentive

 

[JonnyDBrit]

I'm getting checked this week - ironically having thought of it after Abe's resignation - and might inquire on whether the tests will cover the possibility of bowel cancers as well. I've had symptoms on and off for years now, predominantly a persistent tummy ache that while easing, never goes away. Add in the tiredness and blood, and I'm wanting to start ruling stuff out.

Had gastroscopies last year, so I guess maybe time to do the other end

 

[platocplx]

You can take this with a grain of salt, but my brother is a cancer researcher, his wife is an oncologist, so whenever I visit them a bunch of their colleagues are around and they all seem to think that the prevalence of corn-fed beef could be a major contributing factor to the rise.

They all basically think if you want to eat beef, go for the grass-fed stuff.

Grass-fed beef has the lowest red meat cancer risk

Eating red meat that has grazed on grass its entire life poses a potentially lower risk of cancer than pellet-fed beef, according to research by Mayo Clinic.

www.foodnavigator-usa.com

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This is very interesting, I don't eat as much beef I remember at one point I. My life I totally stoped eating burgers. But I think I may also just make my own from now on from grass fed sources when I do want some kind of beef.

I do wonder if it's the meat consumption that has increasing decade by decade. But then again all generations are eating more meat, so if there isn't increase with older people then I don't know how well consumption of meat is fitting here. Maybe older generations still eat more balanced meals even if they eat more meat (enough fiber, etc.).

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we eat way way way too much meat as opposed to fruits and vegetables. I think I'm also going to incorporate having at least 3 meatless days a week going forward. I don't eat much beef, I do like bacon and I like chicken and seafood. But def reducing even more going forward. Also alcohol consumption is a big issue for the colon too.

 

[wingkongex]

I had it done earlier this year just for preventative purposes and it cost me nearly 4 grand. The doctor was telling me insurance doesn't typically cover preventative exams if under 50. Im in my mid 30s but my Grandma died of colon cancer which is why I wanted to be cautious.

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Sounds about right.

 

[platocplx]

I had it done earlier this year just for preventative purposes and it cost me nearly 4 grand. The doctor was telling me insurance doesn't typically cover preventative exams if under 50. Im in my mid 30s but my Grandma died of colon cancer which is why I wanted to be cautious.

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Which is insane when treating cancer is way way way more expensive. Preventative stuff should be covered way more.

but at this point Idc. 4k is nothing than knowing where I'm at there. It's like one of the highest killers of men. So worth it.

 

[crimzonflame]

Could it be possible that younger guys eating more red meat/processed meat compared to previous generations?