Colon Cancer Increasing in Younger Adults [Video]

Despite great strides in treatment, colon cancer is on the rise in younger adults. “The biggest issue, I think, is dietary. What we’re seeing is less fiber in the diet, so the toxins are in the colon more, and the increased exposure increases the risk,” said Oncologist and Hematologist Dr. Venkata Parsa. “Now, the other thing also is genetic. 10% of them are genetic, and then it’s the exposure for chemicals.”

The American Cancer Society has found the proportion of colon cancer cases in those under 55 doubled from 1995 to 2019. In 2021 new guidelines were released recommending colon cancer screenings begin at 45 instead of 50. “But still, there’s a big chunk of people whom we are missing. So, it’s one of those cancers where if you catch it early, it can actually lead to a cure. And later stages, obviously, it’s harder to treat and cure. So, there’s a big push to try to detect patients earlier on,” said Dr. Parsa.

The tough part is symptoms are usually nonspecific. “If you have symptoms that you can’t explain, you know, you wait two, three weeks, but beyond that you want to make sure you get somebody to evaluate that,” said Dr. Parsa.

Those with family history, abdominal pain, fatigue, and blood in their stool should be extra aware. The gold standard for screening is a colonoscopy done every 10 years once you turn 45. “So that way, it’s very useful to actually diagnose, treat, and prevent cancer because by taking out the polyp, you’re preventing it from developing into cancer,” said Dr. Parsa. You can learn more by visiting leehealth.org/cancercare.

View More Health Matters video segments at youtube.com/leehealth

Lee Health in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of health care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For more than 100 years, we’ve been providing our community with personalized preventative health services and primary care to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

Visit LeeHealth.org