ENGLAND has one of the fastest rising rates of bowel cancer in the world for under-50s, a major study has warned.
The American Cancer Society called the trend a “global phenomenon” and found that early-onset tumors are on the rise in more than half of the countries.
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Experts believe that an unhealthy diet and too little exercise increase the risk of cancer in young adults Credit: Alamy
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The Sun writer Deborah James raised awareness of bowel cancer before her death aged 40 Credit: Stewart Williams
Rates rose in 27 out of 50 countries between 2007 and 2017.
Diagnoses among under-50s in England increased by 3.6 per cent a year during that time.
It was the fourth-fastest growth on record, compared with four percent a year in New Zealand and Chile, and 3.8 percent in Puerto Rico.
Scientists believe that unhealthy food, lack of exercise and obesity are at least partly to blame.
Read more about bowel cancer
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “This leading study reveals that rising rates of early-onset bowel cancer are a global problem.
“Worryingly, it has emerged for the first time ever that rates are rising more sharply in England than in many other countries around the world.
“While it is important to note that rates in younger adults are still very low compared to those over 50, we need to understand what is causing this trend in younger people.”
Sun writer Deborah James raised awareness of the disease in young people through The Sun’s No Time 2 Lose campaign before she died of bowel cancer aged 40 in 2022.
As she emphasized, the earlier you are diagnosed, the better your chances of survival.
A study by the American Cancer Society compared colon cancer incidence rates in 50 countries between 1943 and 2017.
Ben Cohen’s ex-wife opens up about her bowel cancer diagnosis and says Dame Deborah James saved her life
The results, published in the journal The Lancet Oncology, showed that the occurrence of the disease in people aged 25 to 49 years decreased in 20 countries, but increased in 27.
These were primarily high-income Western countries, including Canada, France, Slovenia and the US – but not exclusively.
The author of the study, dr. Hyuna Sung said, “This is a global phenomenon.
“Previous studies have shown this increase in predominantly high-income Western countries, but it is now documented in a variety of economies and regions around the world.
“This highlights the need to prevent and control cancers associated with dietary habits, physical inactivity and excess body weight.
“Raising awareness of the trend and symptoms can help reduce delays in diagnosis and reduce deaths.”
We know that risk factors such as diet, obesity, alcohol and smoking may explain the increasing incidence of early-onset bowel cancer
Dr Hyuna Sung Cancer Research UK
Young women were found to have a faster increase in early bowel cancer rates than men if they lived in England, Norway, Australia, Turkey, Costa Rica and Scotland.
In contrast to rising cases in younger adults, rates of bowel cancer have remained stable or fallen in older people in many countries, including England, partly due to the effectiveness of cancer screening programmes, the authors say.
The NHS sends home sampling kits to everyone aged 54 to 74 every two years.
They look for blood in your poop, which could be a sign of bowel cancer.
Bowel cancer signs you need to know – remember the BOWEL
- B: Bleeding
There are several possible causes of bleeding from the buttocks, blood in the stool.
Bright red blood can come from swollen blood vessels, hemorrhoids, or hemorrhoids in your rear passage.
Dark red or black blood can originate from the intestines or stomach.
Blood in the stool is one of the key signs of bowel cancer, so it’s important to mention it to your doctor so they can investigate.
2. A: An obvious change in toilet habits
It is important to tell your GP if you have noticed any changes in your bowel habits that last for three weeks or longer.
It is especially important if you have also noticed signs of blood in your stool.
You may notice that you need to go to the toilet more often, you may have less frequent stools, or you may feel that you are not going enough or that you are not emptying your bowels completely.
Don’t be embarrassed, your GP would hear a lot worse! Speak and check.
3. W: Weight loss
This is less common than the other symptoms, but it is important to be aware. If you’ve lost weight and don’t really know why, it’s worth mentioning to your GP.
Maybe you don’t feel like eating, you feel sick, you’re bloated and you’re not hungry.
4. E: Extreme fatigue
Bowel cancer that causes bleeding can cause iron deficiency in the body – anemia. If you develop anemia, you are likely to feel tired and your skin may look pale.
5. L: Lump or pain
As with many other forms of cancer, a lump or pain can be a sign of bowel cancer.
It is very likely that you will notice a pain or a lump in your stomach or back.
See your GP if it doesn’t go away or if it affects how you eat or sleep
CRUK stressed that rates of bowel cancer in younger adults are still low, with only one in 20 cases in the UK being diagnosed in people under the age of 50.
Jon Shelton, head of cancer research at the charity, said: “The number of early bowel cancer cases in both men and women each year in the UK is very low, so it’s hard to say for sure why we’re seeing rates rise at a faster rate in one group in relation to another.
“We need more research to determine whether there are significant differences in incidence rates between the sexes in this age group and what might be causing this.
“We know that risk factors such as diet, obesity, alcohol and smoking may explain the increasing incidence of early-onset bowel cancer in different demographic groups.
“Improvements in detection, meaning people are being diagnosed at a younger age, could also play a key role in the higher rates.”
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Debs encouraged people to ‘check their poo’ to watch out for bowel cancer symptomsCredit: Instagram
Figures provided by the charity up to 2019 show that bowel cancer incidence rates have risen by 52 per cent for adults aged 25-49 since the early 1990s.
Each year in the UK there are around 2,600 new cases of bowel cancer in the age group and around 44,100 new cases across all age groups.
It is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death.
Key symptoms of bowel cancer include blood in the stool, pain in the bowels, changes in toileting habits and unexplained weight loss.
Research published this week has shown that junk food contributes to bowel cancer by causing swelling and irritation in the digestive system.
Cancer screenings in England
DEVELOPING cancer gives you the best chance of survival, and a big part of that is getting regular checkups.
NHS programs can help diagnose a disease or risk of it and improve the likelihood of successful treatment.
There are three national screening programs in England: cervical screening, breast screening and bowel screening.
“If you’re eligible, make every effort to have a screening test as they can catch the problem early, before you have any symptoms,” says the NHS.
“Early detection of problems can mean that treatment is more effective.”
Cervical screening
This is offered in England to people with cervical cancer aged 25 to 64 and is routinely carried out every three years until the age of 49, and every five years from 50 to 64.
Depending on the result, persons may be recalled earlier.
During cervical screening, samples are tested for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes almost all types of cervical cancer.
Those who test positive are then analyzed further.
Breast examination
Breast examinations, which include an X-ray test called a mammogram, which can spot cancer when it is too small to be seen or felt, are usually offered to women aged 50 to 71 in England.
But the NHS tests them on women under 50 if they are at high risk of developing breast cancer.
Bowel screening
This test detects whether patients are showing early signs of cancer.
It is open to anyone aged 54 to 74, with the program gradually expanding to those 50 and over following Sun’s No Time 2 Lose campaign.
Currently, people aged 54 to 74 are automatically sent a home test kit every two years, so make sure your GP has your correct address.
The at-home test involves giving a small stool sample to check for a small amount of blood, which could be caused by cancer.
If you are 75 or over, you can request a kit every two years by calling the free bowel cancer screening helpline on 0800 707 60 60.
Source: NHS
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