Early recognition of signs and symptoms can reduce diagnosis delays and improve survival
Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified four key signs and symptoms that indicate an increased risk of early-onset colorectal cancer. The incidence of colorectal cancer in people under the age of 50 is rising, and it’s important to recognize the signs.
Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified four key signs and symptoms that indicate an increased risk of early-onset colorectal cancer. These red flags may be key to early detection and diagnosis of early-onset colorectal cancer in young adults. The number of young adults with colorectal cancer has nearly doubled in recent years.
Researchers who studied de-identified health insurance data of more than 5,000 early-onset colorectal cancer patients (cancers that occur before age 50) found that in the three months to two years period before diagnosis, , abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, diarrhea and iron deficiency anemia each indicate an increased risk in people under 50 years of age. Having two symptoms increases his risk by more than 3.5 times. With three or more, his risk is more than 6.5 times higher.
The study will be published May 4 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
“Colorectal cancer is not just a disease of the elderly. People under the age of 50 are considered to be at low risk and do not have regular colorectal cancer screening, so these potentially very We want young adults to recognize and deal with important signs and symptoms,” said senior researcher Yin Cao. He is an Associate Professor of Surgery in the Department of Public Health Sciences and Barnes He is a research member of the Saitman Cancer Center at the Jewish Hospital and the University of Washington School of Medicine.
“It’s also important to spread awareness among primary care physicians, gastroenterologists, and emergency physicians,” said Cao. “To date, many early-onset colorectal cancers have been found in the emergency room, and diagnosis is often delayed significantly in this cancer.”
Cao said rectal bleeding and iron deficiency anemia, a condition in which there are not enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen, are two symptoms that point to the need for timely endoscopies and follow-up. said.
In this study, Cao, along with first author Cassandra DL Fritz, MD, PhD, assistant professor of gastroenterology, and co-first author Ebunoluwa Otegbeye, MD, general surgery resident, analyzed cases of early-onset colorectal cancer, It is a big data tool that provides longitudinal, anonymized information based on health insurance claims data of approximately 113 million insured persons aged 18 to 64.
“It usually takes about three months for people with one or more of the red flag signs and symptoms we’ve identified to get a diagnosis after they first see a doctor,” Fritz said. “However, this analysis found that some young adults had had symptoms for up to two years prior to diagnosis. That may be part of the reason why he had more advanced disease at diagnosis than what was reported.”
Individuals born in 1990 have twice the risk of colon cancer and four times the risk of rectal cancer compared to young adults born in 1950. This trend has made research a priority for the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, the American Society of Gastroenterology, and other professional societies. On identifying risk factors and improving early detection. In 2021, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended age for colorectal cancer screening from 50 to 45.
Cao, also an associate professor of medicine, leads a research group focused on identifying risk factors and molecular mutations in early-onset colorectal cancer. Her group suggested that obesity, prolonged sitting, metabolic her syndrome, diabetes, sugary drinks and other risk factors may contribute to the increased incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer. She is one of the first groups to report that there is.
According to the American Cancer Society, routine colonoscopies and improved treatment have reduced death rates from colorectal cancer in older adults for decades, but the disease is diagnosed at an advanced stage. More and more young people are dying from this disease. .
Such changes suggest the urgency to recognize symptoms as soon as possible.
“Because the majority of early-onset colorectal cancers were and will be diagnosed after symptoms have appeared, prompt recognition of these red flags and symptoms and prompt diagnostic workup as soon as possible. is important,” said Cao. Said. “In doing so, the disease can be diagnosed earlier, reducing the need for more aggressive treatment and improving patient quality of life and survival.”