"According to recent research, individuals born in 1990 face double the risk of colon cancer compared to those born in 1950."

 "According to recent research, individuals born in 1990 face double the risk of colon cancer compared to those born in 1950."

Early-onset colorectal cancer is reportedly increasing globally, with Millennials bearing the brunt of this alarming trend. A study published in the British Journal of Surgery indicates that individuals born in 1990 are twice as likely to develop colon cancer and four times more likely to develop rectal cancer compared to those born in 1950. This surge in early-onset colorectal cancer—defined as cases diagnosed before the age of 50—has been particularly notable in the U.S. since the mid-1990s.

Traditionally viewed as a disease affecting older adults, colorectal cancer is now increasingly impacting individuals in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. The rise has been so significant that colorectal cancer has become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men under 50 and the second leading cause for women in the same age group in the U.S.

One of the challenges is that both patients and healthcare providers often still perceive colorectal cancer as an older person's disease, which can lead to later diagnoses when treatment becomes more difficult. Younger patients frequently require more aggressive treatment and face additional challenges, including financial strain, concerns about fertility, anxiety, sexual dysfunction, and body image issues.

Recent data from the CDC revealed a staggering 185% increase in colorectal cancer among individuals aged 20 to 24, and a 333% rise among teenagers aged 15 to 19. Similar trends are observed in high-income countries; a review of 20 European nations showed a significant rise in early-onset cases from 2004 to 2016.

Lead researcher Sara Char emphasized the global rise in gastrointestinal cancers among adults under 50, highlighting the urgent need for further research into the biology of these cancers to enhance screening and prevention efforts.

In response to these trends, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended age for starting screening from 50 to 45 in 2021. However, new research from Taiwan suggests that beginning screening at 40 could reduce cases by 21% and deaths by nearly 40% compared to starting at 50.

Certain demographics are particularly affected. Early-onset colorectal cancer rates are highest among Native Americans, followed by Hispanic, Black, and Asian populations. An analysis revealed that 16.5% of American Indians/Alaska Natives, 15.4% of Hispanics, 12% of Asians/Pacific Islanders, and 11.9% of Black patients were diagnosed before age 50, compared to just 6.7% of non-Hispanic white patients.

Experts attribute this surge to various factors, including obesity, sedentary lifestyles, Western diets high in sugar and processed foods, and environmental pollutants. A 2019 study found that women with a BMI over 30 had nearly double the risk of developing early-onset colorectal cancer.

More recently, a groundbreaking study in 2025 identified colibactin—a toxin produced by certain strains of E. coli—as a potential contributor, suggesting that childhood exposure may set the stage for cancer decades later.

“It’s pretty alarming,” stated Dr. Coral Olazagasti from the University of Miami, noting the significant shift in cancer demographics. “In the past, we thought of cancer as a disease of the elderly. Now we’re seeing people diagnosed younger and younger.”

The CDC projects that by 2030, early-onset colorectal cancer will become the leading cancer-related killer among individuals aged 20 to 49.