Daijiworld Media Network- Washington

Washington, July 18: In a concerning health development, gastrointestinal cancers—such as colorectal, stomach, and pancreatic cancers—are rising rapidly among adults under the age of 50 in the United States, with medical experts struggling to pinpoint the exact causes.

A major review published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on Thursday has revealed that these cancers now represent the fastest-growing cancer category in younger adults. The review analyzed 115 research papers and data from prominent U.S. and international cancer databases between January 2014 and March 2025.

Colorectal cancer leads the trend, with nearly 185,000 early-onset cases globally and 21,000 in the U.S. reported in 2022 alone. Alarmingly, the incidence of colorectal cancer in Americans under 50 has been increasing by 2% each year since 2011, according to the American Cancer Society.

Dr. Kimmie Ng, co-author of the review and Director of the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, stressed the urgency of early detection. “This really points to the importance of trying to improve screening and early detection,” she said.

Current guidelines recommend colorectal cancer screenings starting at age 45 for individuals at average risk, primarily through colonoscopy or stool tests. However, routine screenings for stomach, pancreatic, and esophageal cancers are not common practice in the U.S., prompting experts to advocate for the development of new diagnostic strategies for these aggressive cancers.

Although the exact reasons for this alarming rise remain unclear, experts suspect a complex mix of genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors—and emphasize the need for continued research.

With younger adults increasingly affected by cancers once thought to be confined to older age groups, medical professionals are urging the public to remain alert to symptoms and follow preventive screening protocols where available.