Rectal cancer deaths rising up to three times faster in specific age group, study finds

Rectal cancer deaths are rising at a significantly faster rate than colon cancer among younger Americans, a trend that researchers warn will continue to escalate without a shift in treatment.

Mortality rates for rectal cancer are growing two to three times faster than those for colon cancer among adults aged 20 to 44, according to a study to be presented at Digestive Disease Week 2026 in Chicago.

The data suggests that for older millennials, specifically those between the ages of 35 and 44, rectal cancer mortality is projected to escalate through 2035.

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"Colorectal cancer is no longer considered predominantly a disease of older adults," said lead author Mythili Menon Pathiyil, a gastroenterology fellow at SUNY Upstate Medical University. "Rectal cancer, especially, is becoming a growing problem in younger individuals."

The researchers analyzed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) death records from 1999 to 2023. 

Using a machine learning model to project future trends, the team found that the mortality gap between the two types of cancer is widening across every demographic.

Hispanic adults and residents of Western states experienced the steepest increases in rectal cancer deaths, the study found.

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A primary concern raised by the research is the diagnostic delay often experienced by younger patients.

"Young people are being diagnosed with rectal cancers at increasingly younger ages - and often at more advanced, aggressive stages of disease," Rachel Gordon, M.D., a New York-based colorectal and general surgeon at Episcopal Health Services, told Fox News Digital.

"We're seeing a combination of lifestyle and environmental exposures, including diet and changes in the gut microbiome, potentially playing a role," said Gordon, who was not involved in the study.

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Older adults tend to begin treatment within a month of symptoms starting - but young adults face an average seven-month delay before getting care.

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Pathiyil noted that primary care providers often dismiss red-flag symptoms in young people - such as rectal bleeding or changes in bowel habits - as benign conditions like hemorrhoids.

"If something doesn't feel right, or if you experience symptoms such as rectal bleeding (bright red or dark), persistent changes in bowel habits (including diarrhea or constipation), narrow stools, a feeling of incomplete bowel emptying, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss or fatigue, it's important to see your doctor promptly," Gordon advised.

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The findings suggest that current screening strategies may need to be reevaluated, according to Pathiyil.

"Our study shows that rectal cancer is driving much of the increase in colorectal cancers," she added. 

"It's likely to worsen over time if we don't change what we are doing right now."