Colon Cancer: The Rise of Malignancy in The Younger Generation
Written By: Aidan Abney
October 6th, 2026
Without any definitive answers, the medical world is left stumped by the sudden increase in colorectal cancer rates in younger men and women. Colorectal cancer screening is now being considered for people aged less than 45, and doctors are becoming concerned with how fast it’s appearing. Annually, colorectal cancer has increased by 3%, and especially among younger people, it is unmanageably aggressive. This article aims to understand possible factors and the broader implications that this disease has for our youth, and the representation of this type of research on prostate cancer.
Colorectal cancer can be used as an “umbrella term” for two different types of cancers: rectal and colon. It behaves similarly to every type of cancer, but the treatment for it is more accessible, and recovery is also higher than most. However, its impact on Generation Z and X appears to be far worse and far more “contractible.” Colorectal cancer usually starts as polyps, which are small clumps of cells that line the intestines and other organs. The polyps are not cancerous at first (or most of the time), but DNA mutations can cause the tissues to become malignant 5-10 years later. Contributing factors remain unknown, but most researchers point to stress, diet, sedentary lifestyles, and even changes in our gut microbiome from processed foods. Why aren’t these the direct causes? The answer is that cancer is complex. Oncology is about implementing and understanding constant developments, but unfortunately, nuance is a huge part of it. Genetics, gut bacteria, family history, and chemical exposures - pretty much anything you can think of in our physiology - are changing, and the concepts we found to be related are seemingly not so. For example, obesity has been directly associated with an increase in colorectal cancer, but many of these younger people who contract it are fairly healthy individuals who have no family history, no genetic abnormalities, and are definitely not obese. While we don’t have all the answers, there are some groups that have theorized specific reasons why.
Researchers from Korea found that three prescription drugs (opioid aenesthetics, magnesium, and pregnenolone) that are each related to non-cancerous purposes were associated with an increased prognosis and mortality for CRC (Colorectal Cancer). Similarly, other research suggests that antibiotics disrupt the intestinal flora, the community of bacteria and fungi that live in the digestive tract, leading to intestinal dysbiosis that may contribute to earlier-stage CRC. There does seem to be a correlation between the use of these drugs and the rise of CRC in younger people. It doesn’t do much to address the issue, and much of the research on antibiotics for CRC has been demonstrated only in animal models and remains inconsistent in human clinical trials. Another theory that has popped up is a “Birth-Cohort” effect. According to a recent study, incidence rates of CRC are higher in 40-year olds born in the 1970s than in 40-year-olds born in the 1950s or 60s, and taking this into account, seperate studies showed that maternal obesity increased during the 1970s; medical records from the California Cancer Registry highlight that maternal obesity nearly doubles the offspring’s chances of developing the disease during adulthood (<50 years old). Now, could all of this just be that people are getting screened more often? Most researchers have collectively agreed that, because of the sharp increase in stage III and IV CRC tumors in the younger generation that seemingly appeared out of nowhere, this is a phenomenon rather than a coincidence. Regardless, multiple theories also leads to an inability to find a clear, distinct path towards clarity in this concerning topic.
How will the younger generation handle this increase?
Currently, CRC is viewed as the number one cancer threat to younger people, and models predict that by 2030, 1 in 4 young adults will be diagnosed with CRC, meaning there will be a 10-15% increase in the general population, not excluding the rest of the world. That means individuals from my generation, and the generations after, will suffer dramatically at the hands of health anxiety, systemic inheritance, and worsening environmental conditions contributing to these rates. More than likely, the screening age will be lowered to 40, including measurable actions to screen and prevent CRC in people with minimal risk. Awareness of how to check for symptoms and test for hereditary factors will be actively promoted across hospitals, especially regarding universal germline multigene panel testing, which is already being instituted for CRC patients with family histories. Generations Z and X will have a harder time adjusting to these changes, with more formal conversations about them in schools, workplaces, and homes. Granted, there will also be adaptations in treating CRC that the medical world will base its premises on, such as lowering barriers to access and care and implementing newer screening and testing options. Do some of the predictions carry bold overexaggerations? Possibly, but with how fast CRC rates are rising, there shouldn’t be a surprise when it does. Younger adults will not cease to fight rising rates, as organizations such as the Colorectal Cancer Alliance and Fight CRC are raising substantial funds for research and the affordability of early screening. If this continues, the battle will save more lives than it costs.
What does this mean for Prostate Cancer?
Although this trend is associated with younger people, Prostate Cancer and CRC can, and do, overlap. In the literature, it is a known fact that men who are diagnosed with CRC have a higher incidence rate of prostate cancer 1.9 to 2.6 times the general population average. We also know that synchronous cancers, such as CRC and Prostate Cancer, that occur within 6 months of each other are steadily increasing, but this can be attributed to increased use of high-resolution pelvic MRIs. Still, over the course of 20 years, CRC shows a co-occurring pattern with prostate cancer, when many of us think of it as a conservative, non-relational binary between the two. If we are valuing the awareness of such studies and efforts towards CRC, then it should also come with the same result for Prostate Cancer, or any cancer for that matter. Specifically with prostate cancer, it is one of the few cancers that maintains arbitrariness when it comes to preventing it. It cannot always be resolved through diet or therapies, as in many cases, it grows back stronger than before. Knowing what we know now about CRC/Prostate Cancer and its influence on mainstream medical news, advocacy, and prevention for CRC is the advocacy and prevention for Prostate Cancer - they both intertwine. If we don’t educate the younger generation, or my generation for that matter, on CRC, then how will they handle evaluating Prostate Cancer when it comes time? They should know that CRC has a foundational relationship with Prostate Cancer, because they’ll know what measures to take when they turn 50, how screening works, what resources are available for each if they notice similar symptoms, or CRC survivors who want to be informed of other potential risks.
Sources:
https://med.stanford.edu/news/insights/2026/07/colorectal-cancer-under-50-younger-adults.html
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