Bowel cancer is now the third most common cancer in Britain – and experts are concerned about a mysterious rise in cases in younger people.
About 100 younger people a day – 35,000 a year – are now diagnosed with cancers that are more common in older people, such as colon, breast and stomach cancer.
Scientists are doing their best to figure out the cause of the mystery early cancer ‘epidemic’, medically defined as the disease affecting adults under 50.
This includes cases of bowel cancer, a disease that affects almost 43,000 Britons every year and kills almost 17,000 people a year.
Dr Haney Youssef, bowel cancer expert and colorectal surgeon at Harborne Hospital, is part of this HCA Healthcare UKin Birmingham explains some of the reasons why the disease is becoming increasingly common under the age of 50.
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
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Dietary changes and processed foods
Despite years of research, researchers remain baffled as to why there is an increase in younger cases of colon cancer.
But a diet of junk food and processed meats such as hamburgers, bacon and fried chicken is believed to be one of the culprits.
‘The modern diet, especially in Western countries, has led to a significant increase in the consumption of processed and fast food products,’ Dr Youssef told MailOnline.
He added: ‘These foods are often high in unhealthy fats, sugars and additives, while being low in fibre.
Dr. Haney Youssef, bowel cancer expert and colorectal surgeon at The Harborne Hospital in Birmingham
‘A diet low in fiber and high in processed foods may contribute to the development of colon cancer.’
Younger generations may rely more on convenient and often unhealthy food options without fiber, and it could put them at greater risk, Dr. Youssef explains.
Fiber in our diets helps us poop more often, meaning harmful chemicals spend less time in the gut, according to Cancer Research UK.
Processed foods, on the other hand, have been linked to a range of nutritional harms.
Processed meats such as sausages, bacon, salami, chorizo, ham and hot dogsare one of the foods most known to increase weight gain cancer risk.
This meat is any animal meat that has been treated to extend its shelf life or taste better. This is often done by adding chemical preservatives such as nitrates.
The meat can also be processed by brining, smoking or salting.
When eaten, nitrates can undergo a reaction that turns them into a substance called N-nitrosochemicals (NOCs).
These can damage the cells that line the intestine, the organ that processes food, which in turn can lead to the development of cancer, says Cancer Research UK (CRUK).
Telltale symptoms of colon cancer include bleeding from your buttocks, bloating, losing weight without trying, abdominal pain, and changes in poop, such as softer poop, diarrhea, or constipation that is not usual for you.
A diet of junk food and processed meats such as hamburgers, bacon and fried chicken is thought to increase the risk of colon cancer in young people
Sedentary lifestyle
It is believed that spending too much time at a desk or slumped on the couch watching TV increases your risk of cancer.
The more active you are, the lower your risk of colon cancer, according to CRUK.
‘With the rise of digital technology and changes in work and leisure activities, a sedentary lifestyle has become increasingly common,’ says Dr Youssef.
He added: ‘Many young people spend long hours sitting, whether at a desk, at a computer or using mobile devices.
‘Lack of physical activity is a known risk factor for bowel cancer, as regular exercise helps maintain a healthy digestive system and overall well-being.’
There are several reasons why staying active helps reduce your risk.
First, being active helps you maintain a healthy weight, which in turn helps your immune system work optimally.
This means the body can better detect and deal with cells that could become cancerous, CRUK says.
Like eating fibre, exercise also helps food move through our intestines faster, meaning anything harmful we eat spends less time in the gut, the charity explains.
The more active you are, the lower your risk of bowel cancer, according to Cancer Research UK
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Obesity
It’s not just eating too much junk food and not getting enough exercise that puts you at increased risk, but one of the consequences is that you become overweight.
Obesity is the second biggest cause of cancer in Britain, according to CRUK.
“Obesity rates have been rising globally and younger age groups are not immune to this trend,” Dr Youssef said.
He added: ‘Excess body fat can lead to inflammation and changes in hormone levels, which can promote the development of cancer.
‘The rising prevalence of obesity in younger people contributes to the increased incidence of colon cancer in this target group.’
CRUK says being too fat causes the level of growth hormones in the body increases, causing cells to divide more often.
Each of these additional divisions represents a new potential opportunity for cancer cells to appear, increasing the chance of developing the disease.
Another factor that increases the risk is that immune cells are attracted to parts of the body where there are many fat cells.
This can then cause a spike in inflammation in these areas, causing cells to divide more quickly, again increasing the risk of cancer formation.
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Genetic factors
But it’s not just diet and exercise; Genetics can also put you at greater risk for the disease.
‘Research has not shown a conclusive link between genetics and the increase in diagnoses – but having a first-degree relative under the age of 50 who has had bowel cancer could indicate a higher risk for younger people,’ said Dr Youssef.
But there are also some rare hereditary conditions that are associated with an increased risk of colon cancer.
He added: ‘While most cases of bowel cancer are sporadic, some younger patients may have a genetic predisposition to the disease.
‘Conditions such as Lynch syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) significantly increase the risk of developing bowel cancer at a young age, but this only accounts for 5 percent of all bowel cancer cases.’
Delayed diagnosis and persistent misdiagnosis
Non-biological factors may also play a role in the increase in the number of colon cancer diagnoses.
Greater awareness of the disease thanks to people like Dame Deborah James, who died of bowel cancer in 2022 aged 40, and improved diagnostic techniques are said to have played a role in increasing the number of young people diagnosed.
Logically, the better young people know the symptoms of bowel cancer, the more likely they are to be checked as a result.
‘Younger people are more aware of the importance of medical advice for symptoms such as constant changes in bowel habits and rectal bleeding,’ said Dr Youssef.
‘As a result, this could have a knock-on effect on the number of younger people being diagnosed.’
While this increased awareness is positive, Dr. Youssef added that there are still too many cases where cancer patients face delays or problems in getting a diagnosis.
Experts estimate that 40,000 cases of cancer went undiagnosed in the first year of the pandemic alone.
Figures released last month showed that NHS England has achieved just one of three cancer diagnosis targets.
Of the 254,594 urgent cancer referrals by GPs in March, 77.3 percent had the disease diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days. The goal is 75 percent.
‘Symptoms such as abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits and rectal bleeding can be attributed to less serious conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or haemorrhoids,’ said Dr Youssef.
‘For a small minority, this delay in accurate diagnosis allows the cancer to progress to a more advanced stage before it is detected.’
It is for this reason that Dr. Youssef believes that colon cancer awareness is important among all age groups.
“By addressing controllable factors such as dietary habits, promoting physical activity and managing obesity, individuals can help reduce their risk of colon cancer,” he added.