Researchers Tracked Colon Cancer For 40 Years — One Trend Stood Out
Key takeaways
- Author: Zhané Slambee June 06, 2026mindbodygreen editor By Zhané Slambee Image by BONNINSTUDIO / Stocksy June 06, 2026For decades, colorectal cancer was considered a disease of older adults.
- A large new study out of Switzerland further confirms this troubling trend.
- Here's what you need to know, and what you can do to lower your risk.
Why this matters: practical guidance grounded in recent research or expert insight.
Author: Zhané Slambee June 06, 2026mindbodygreen editor By Zhané Slambee Image by BONNINSTUDIO / Stocksy June 06, 2026For decades, colorectal cancer was considered a disease of older adults. This was something to start thinking about at 50, when routine screening begins. But now, colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death1 in U.S.adults under 50, with cases rising 3% every year in adults aged 20 to 49, even as rates fall in adults 65 and older.
A large new study out of Switzerland further confirms this troubling trend. Researchers analyzed more than 96,000 colorectal cancer cases over four decades and found that while overall colorectal cancer rates have declined in adults over 50, cases in adults under 50 have continued to climb.
Here's what you need to know, and what you can do to lower your risk.