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Review
. 2022 Jun;36(3):449-470.
doi: 10.1016/j.hoc.2022.02.005. Epub 2022 May 13.

Colorectal Cancer in Younger Adults

Pooja Dharwadkar  1 , Timothy A Zaki  2 , Caitlin C Murphy  3
Affiliations
Review

Colorectal Cancer in Younger Adults

Pooja Dharwadkar et al. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2022 Jun.

Abstract

Contrary to decreasing incidence rate of colorectal cancer (CRC) in older adults, incidence rates have nearly doubled in younger adults (age <50 years) in the United States since the early 1990s. A similar increase has been observed across the globe. Despite overall population trends in aging, about 15% of CRCs will be diagnosed in younger adults by 2030. The mechanisms and factors contributing to early-onset CRC (EOCRC) remain puzzling, especially because most young adults diagnosed with CRC have no known risk factors or predisposing conditions, such as family history of CRC or polyps or a hereditary syndrome (eg, Lynch syndrome, polyposis). In this up-to-date review, we discuss the current knowledge of EOCRC, including epidemiology, risk factors, clinical and molecular features, treatment and survival, and recognition and screening strategies.

Keywords: Colorectal cancer; Epidemiology; Risk factors; Young adult.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure C.C. Murphy reports consulting for Freenome.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Incidence rates of colorectal cancer by 10-year age group, ages 20–49 years, SEER 13, 1992 – 2018
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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