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Why are colorectal cancer rates rising in younger people?

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the country, with an estimated 52,500 deaths in 2023.
Deidre Smith/Naval Hospital Jacksonville
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Digital
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the country, with an estimated 52,500 deaths in 2023.

More than 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer every year. And the average age of people who get them is dropping.

The American Cancer Society says the share of colorectal cancer cases among those younger than 55 nearly doubled between 1995 and 2019, rising from 11 percent to 20 percent. Why is this happening? What can people do to reduce their risk of developing colorectal cancer?

For answers, we turn to oncologist and epidemiologist Dr. Otis Brawley, a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University.

Links:
The Rise of Colorectal Cancers Among Younger People
Bringing Informed Decision-Making to Cancer Screening

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Maureen Harvie is Senior Supervising Producer for On the Record. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and joined WYPR in 2014 as an intern for the newsroom. Whether coordinating live election night coverage, capturing the sounds of a roller derby scrimmage, interviewing veterans, or booking local authors, she is always on the lookout for the next story.