Colon Cancer Rates Inceasing in the Younger Population

The current guideline regarding colorectal cancer (CRC) screening encourages screening starting at age 45 in those at high risk, per the American Cancer Society (American Cancer Society, 2020). In recent years, the prevalence of colorectal cancer has become more significant in adults under the age of 45 (Peterse et al., 2018). A study showed that there was a 29.6% increase from 2001 to 2011 in the age group of 20–34 years (Sifaki-Pistolla, 2022). As a result of this, CRC screening guidelines should be modified to increase screening in the 20-30 year old age group population that have a family history of CRC, or meet the lifestyle or environmental risk factors for colorectal cancer. The modification of the CRC screening guidelines are aimed at the increased detection of CRC in the earlier, non-metastasized stages, in order to improve health outcomes and promote early treatment in populations that are vulnerable for the development of CRC.