Experts Warn Colon Cancer Screenings May Need to Start at Age 40

A growing increase in colon cancer diagnoses in younger populations has medical experts on high alert. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in both men and women. In fact, on average, about one in 24 men and one in 26 women will develop colon cancer in their lifetime, per ACS data. These statistics are ever changing. But scientists say they likely won’t get better unless colon cancer screenings start earlier.

RELATED: 50% of Colon Cancer Cases in Young People Tied to 1 Common Factor, Researchers Discover.

Colorectal cancer cases are skyrocketing in younger populations.

The headlines speak for themselves: There has been a systematic shift in the way we talk about colorectal cancer in young and middle-aged adults. Historically, this type of cancer is more commonly seen in seniors. However, due to shifts in diet trends and other various factors, early on-set colon cancer diagnoses are occurring at an alarming rate within this younger generation.

According to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, “It’s currently the deadliest cancer among young men and the second deadliest among young women.”

A 2024 analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) detected “concerning shifts” in colorectal cancer incidence rates across various age groups—specifically, in adults under the age of 45.

The findings were as follows:

• 185 percent increase in ages 20 to 24
• 68 percent increase in ages 25 to 29
• 71 percent increase in ages 30 to 34
• 58 percent increase in ages 35 to 39
• 45 percent increase in ages 40 to 44

Several scientific theories are floating around as to why colon cancer is now becoming a young person’s cancer, but there is probably the most research to support the Western diet, which glorifies processed foods, as the culprit.

Researchers “claim that a diet riddled with fat and low in fiber can trigger serious changes in the gut biome and, in some cases, make cells more susceptible to developing colon cancer,” as Best Life previously explained.

In 2021, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) updated its colon cancer screening recommendation age from 50 to 45 for adults with an average risk. However, scientists now say the recommended age should be lowered to 40.

RELATED: Colon Cancer Risk Drops With This 1 Simple Snack, Groundbreaking New Study Finds.

New research suggests lowering the colon cancer screening recommendation age to 40.

A new study published in the journal JAMA Oncology found that earlier colorectal cancer screening can reduce both colon cancer-caused mortality and incidence rates.

The researchers used fecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening to aid their results. They worked with 263,125 participants between the ages of 40 and 49. Of those, 39,315 participants were in both early and regular screening, and 223,810 solely participated in regular screening.

At the end of the experiment, they concluded that “initiating colorectal cancer screening at 40 can reduce cases by 21 percent and deaths by 39 percent compared to starting screening at 50.”

In addition to processed foods, the authors noted that early-onset colon cancer may be linked to sedentary lifestyles and early-life antibiotic exposure.

“It’s been pretty alarming to all of us,” Coral Olazagasti, MD, an assistant professor of clinical medical oncology at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, who was not involved in the study, previously told The New York Post.

“In the past, you would think cancer was a disease of the elderly population. But now we’ve been seeing trends in recent years of people getting diagnosed with cancer earlier and earlier,” Olazagasti added.

The study authors concluded, “These findings highlight FIT’s effectiveness in this younger age group and support recommendations to lower the screening initiation age.”

If you have a familial history of colorectal cancer or begin experiencing rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, or changes in bowel habits (all common symptoms linked to colon cancer), speak with your healthcare provider.