Colorectal, breast, and pancreatic cancers — once considered diseases of older adults — are increasingly being diagnosed in individuals under 50 years. Epidemiological data from multiple countries show a steady rise in early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC), prompting major guideline changes, including lowering the screening age to 45 years in average-risk individuals.¹ This shift challenges long-standing assumptions about cancer risk stratification in younger populations.
The pattern is particularly concerning in colorectal cancer, where incidence rates in adults aged 20–49 years have risen over the past two decades, even as rates decline in older screened populations.² Breast cancer in young women is also showing increasing incidence in certain regions, often presenting with more aggressive subtypes.³ Emerging data suggest lifestyle shifts, obesity, metabolic dysregulation, microbiome…
