‘Concerning’ surge in bowel cancer cases in under-50s with England among worst hit nations – are you at risk?

ENGLAND has one of the world’s fastest rising rates of bowel cancer in under-50s, a major study has warned.

The American Cancer Society called the trend a “global phenomenon” and found early-onset tumours increasing in more than half of countries.

Rates rose in 27 out of 50 countries between 2007 and 2017.

Diagnosis among under-50s in England increased by 3.6 per cent per year during that time.

It was the fourth fastest rise recorded, compared to four per cent per year in New Zealand and Chile, and 3.8 per cent in Puerto Rico.

Scientists reckon junk food diets, a lack of exercise and obesity are at least partly to blame.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “This flagship study reveals that increasing rates of early-onset bowel cancer is a global issue. 

“Concerningly, it has shown for the first time ever that rates are rising more sharply in England than in many other countries around the world.

“While it is important to note that rates in younger adults are still very low compared to people over 50, we need to understand what’s causing this trend in younger people.”

Sun writer Dame Deborah James raised awareness of disease in young people via The Sun’s No Time 2 Lose campaign before her death from bowel cancer aged 40 in 2022.

As she highlighted, the earlier you are diagnosed, the better your chance of survival.

The American Cancer Society study compared colorectal cancer incidence rates in 50 countries between 1943 and 2017.

The results, published in The Lancet Oncology, showed young onset disease, in those aged 25 to 49, decreased in 20 countries but increased in 27.

This was primarily high-income Western countries, including Canada, France, Slovenia and the USA - but not exclusively.

Study author Dr Hyuna Sung said: “This is a global phenomenon.

“Previous studies have shown this rise in predominantly high-income Western countries, but it is now documented in various economies and regions worldwide.

“This highlights the need to prevent and control cancers linked to dietary habits, physical inactivity, and excess body weight. 

“Raising awareness of the trend and the symptoms can help to reduce delays in diagnosis and reduce deaths.”

We know that risk factors like diet, obesity, alcohol and smoking could be explanations for the rising incidence of early-onset bowel cancer

Dr Hyuna SungCancer Research UK

Young women were found to have faster increases in early bowel cancer rates than men if they lived in England, Norway, Australia, Turkey, Costa Rica and Scotland.

In contrast to the increasing cases in younger adults, bowel cancer rates tended to remain stable or were falling in older adults in many countries, including England, partly due to the effectiveness of cancer screening programmes, the authors said.

The NHS sends at-home sampling kits to everyone aged 54 to 74 every two years.

These look for blood in your poo, which could be a sign of bowel cancer.

CRUK stressed bowel cancer rates in younger adults are still low, with only around one in 20 cases in the UK diagnosed in people aged under 50.

Jon Shelton, head of cancer intelligence at the charity, said: "The number of early-onset bowel cancer cases for both men and women each year in the UK is very low, therefore it's difficult to say for certain why we are seeing rates increasing at a faster rate in one group over another.

"We need more research to determine whether there are notable differences in incidence rates between genders in this age group, and what might be causing this.

"We know that risk factors like diet, obesity, alcohol and smoking could be explanations for the rising incidence of early-onset bowel cancer in different demographics.

"Improvements to detection meaning that people are diagnosed at a younger age could also be playing a key role in higher rates."

Data provided by the charity up to 2019 suggests bowel cancer has seen a 52 per cent increase in incidence rates for adults aged 25 to 49 since the early 1990s.

There are around 2,600 new bowel cancer cases in the age group in the UK every year and around 44,100 new cases among all ages.

It is the third most diagnosed cancer overall, and the second most common cause of cancer death.

Key symptoms of bowel cancer include blood in your poo, gut pain, a change to toilet habits and unexplained weight loss.

Research published this week suggested junk foods contribute to bowel cancer by causing swelling and irritation in the digestive system.