DENVER — Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related death for people under the age of 50, according to new evidence from the American Cancer Society. The rise in cases among younger adults is largely unexplained but medical experts say increased awareness and proactive screenings can save lives.
Dr. Swati Patel, a gastroenterologist at UCHealth, said the trend is concerning. “It’s an extremely alarming trend and, in fact, one we’ve observed over the last several decades, where we see individuals in their 20s, 30s, 40s having an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer, which historically we always thought was sort of an old person’s disease.”
For Sarah Gleichenhaus, that trend became personal. The now 34-year-old was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at just 30 years old after years of ignoring symptoms…