Bowel cancer rates among 50-year-olds in England are among the fastest rising in the world, study warns

The number of people under 50 with bowel cancer is growing at one of the fastest rates in the world, a major study has warned.

While the number of cases of early-onset bowel cancer in people aged 25 to 49 is increasing worldwide, England is seeing an average annual increase of 3.6 percent – ​​one of the highest increases.

Experts believe that poor diet, more ultra-processed foods, obesity and a lack of exercise may be responsible for this alarming trend.

The study found that rates of bowel cancer in young people increased in 27 of the 50 countries studied in the ten years to 2017.

Researchers from the American Cancer Society, who led the study, said the rise in early-onset cancers is no longer limited to high-income Western countries but is now a “global phenomenon”.

The increase was seen in 14 western countries, mainly high-income, including the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Norway and Scotland.

The strongest increases in the incidence of early-stage bowel cancer were found in Chile (average 4 percent annual increase), New Zealand (4 percent), Puerto Rico (3.8 percent) and England (3.6 percent).

It was found that young women had a faster increase in the rate of early bowel cancer than men if they lived in England, Norway, Australia, Turkey, Costa Rica and Scotland.

Experts believe poor diet, more ultra-processed foods, obesity and a lack of exercise may be responsible for the alarming trend (Stock Image)

In contrast, rates of bowel cancer in older adults have remained stable or fallen in many countries, including England, partly due to the effectiveness of cancer screening programmes.

Dr. Hyuna Sung, senior chief scientist at the American Cancer Society, said: ‘The global scope of this worrying trend highlights the need for innovative tools to prevent and control cancers linked to diet, physical inactivity and obesity.

‘Increasing awareness of the trend and obvious symptoms of early colorectal cancer (e.g. rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, altered bowel habits and unexplained weight loss) among youth and primary care providers can help reduce delays in diagnosis and reduce mortality. ‘

Cancer Research UK highlighted that rates for bowel cancer in younger adults are still low, with only around one in 20 cases of bowel cancer in Britain diagnosed in people under the age of 50.

However, CEO Michelle Mitchell said this flagship study has shown for the first time that interest rates are rising more sharply in England than in many other countries around the world.

She said: ‘A cancer diagnosis at any age has a huge impact on patients and their families – so 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 is causing this trend in healthcare. younger people.’

The charity’s data up to 2019 shows that the incidence of bowel cancer in adults aged 25 to 49 has increased by 52 per cent since the early 1990s.

There are around 2,600 new cases of bowel cancer in people aged 25 to 49 each year in Britain and around 44,100 new cases among all ages.

Bowel cancer can cause you to have blood in your poop, a change in bowel habits, or a lump in your bowel that can cause blockages. Some people also suffer from weight loss as a result of these symptoms

It comes a day after US research suggested ultra-processed foods cause chronic inflammation in the gut, which can lead to the disease.

They suggested that replacing foods such as cured meats, mass-produced bread and ice cream, in favor of healthier alternatives such as oily fish, fruit and vegetables is ‘vital’ to prevent the disease.

Commenting on the new findings published in Lancet Oncology, Dr Sarah Bailey from the University of Exeter Medical School said more research is crucial to understand the trend.

She said: ‘The reasons for this are not yet fully understood, but it is clear that we need to look for the underlying causes.

‘In terms of real-world implications, approaches to dealing with the rising rates among younger adults in England will need to be carefully considered.

“As rates increase among younger adults, we will need to explore how we can expand our strategies to capture cases early in this group as well.”