Updated October 29, 2026, 7:48 p.m. ET
It’s not just younger groups experiencing an increase in colorectal cancer rates: Older groups are also experiencing an increase, according to a new study.
In the study, published Oct. 27 in NEJM Evidence, researchers found that rates increase across all age groups, up to 65 to 69 years old. Colorectal cancer incidence rates fell from 55.2 per 100,000 in 2000 to 36.7 in 2022, then increased to 38.3 in 2023, according to the study.
“There are many unique challenges when being diagnosed with cancer at a young age, so it is important that we shine a light on this issue,” Caitlin Murphy, study author and professor of pediatrics and public health sciences at the University of Chicago, said in a press release. “But in terms of understanding the root cause, I think our study shows that we can consider that what might cause colorectal cancer in younger people is now also driving its increase in older people.”
The largest increase in incidence rates occurred among the 45 to 49 age group, with an annual increase of 12.76% between 2019 and 2023, according to the study. The study used data from the National Cancer Institute over a 20-year period.
The authors said the increase is likely due to more screenings after national recommendations lowered the age of starting screening from 50 to 45.
“This means that screening works the way we want it to: it detects cancer earlier,” Murphy added.
However, this does not explain the increase in incidence overall or for other age groups, the authors note, suggesting that unknown risk factors could offset gains in screening.
Colorectal cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among people under age 50 in the United States, according to evidence from the American Cancer Society, published Jan. 22 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Data shows that colorectal cancer has increased from fifth in cancer deaths in the early 1990s to first in 2023.
Gn Health
