The 17 ‘red flag’ colorectal cancer symptoms young people have to look out for, in response to study of 25million patients

A significant study has revealed the 17 most typical symptoms of the fastest growing cancer in young people.

Colorectal cancer diagnoses in people under 50 were most frequently preceded by rectal bleeding, stomach pain, and changes in bowel movements.

Unexpected weight reduction, fatigue, changes to appetite and other digestive issues were amongst essentially the most common symptoms related to the disease.

Researchers in six countries including the US made the finding after analyzing data from greater than 80 studies, which included nearly 25million colorectal cancer patients under 50.

Young patients are being urged to get checked in the event that they suffer any of those symptoms because they are usually not routinely screened for the disease.

The above graph shows colon cancer cases amongst under 50s by 12 months. There is a drop in 2020 since the Covid pandemic led to fewer people coming forward for screenings

The finings come as colorectal cancer rates are expected to double from 2010 to the top of the last decade.

Doctors are still attempting to work out what’s behind the rapid rise. Processed foods, chemical contamination and the overuse of antibiotics have all been touted as possible aspects.

‘Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC), defined as a diagnosis at younger than age 50 years, is increasing, and so-called red flag signs and symptoms amongst these individuals are sometimes missed, resulting in diagnostic delays,’ the researchers wrote.

‘Improved recognition of presenting signs and symptoms related to EOCRC could facilitate more timely diagnosis and impact clinical outcomes.’

The research team used the information to find out which symptoms were most typical, which signs put patients most vulnerable to colon cancer, and the way long it took patients to get a colon cancer diagnosis.

They found that rectal bleeding was linked to a five-fold increase in early onset colon cancer risk, making it the most important risk factor.

Additionally, one in 10 patients had their symptoms come on quickly and severely.

The researchers initially combed through 12,859 research papers and narrowed down the list to 81 studies conducted between 2000 and 2023.

They found that 45 percent of patients experienced rectal bleeding or blood of their stool, and 40 percent suffered abdominal pain.

Additionally, 27 percent had changes of their bowel habits, which could include having more or fewer movements.

Weight loss was seen in 17 percent of patients, while 15 percent had a lack of appetite.

And while 12 percent had an acute presentation, meaning their symptoms got here on quickly, it took a mean of 4 to 6 months for them to get a diagnosis.

‘Younger patients may experience ongoing signs and symptoms and delay searching for medical attention,’ the researchers wrote.

‘Potential reasons for these delays include a patient believing they’re too young to fret about cancer or an absence of access to primary care of medical health insurance.’

Rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, and changes in bowel movements are the important thing signs of colorectal cancer in young people, in response to a study in JAMA Network Open

The researchers checked out 81 studies to find out essentially the most common signs of colorectal cancer in young people. They found that rectal bleeding or blood within the stool was essentially the most common sign

Rates of GI cancers rose most sharply within the youngest age group, followed by the 20-29 12 months old cohort. There were also more cases of GI cancers amongst older people, though in that case it remains to be considered early-onset cancer

And even when a patient does seek medical help, ‘patients and clinicians alike may downplay symptom severity and fail to acknowledge key red flags and clinical cues that ought to trigger suspicion of colorectal cancer,’ the team said.

They noted that, too often, rectal bleeding, essentially the most common sign, is attributed to harmless conditions like hemorrhoids.

A 2020 survey from Colorectal Cancer Alliancefor instance, found that 68 percent of patients experienced blood of their stool, and plenty of of them were misdiagnosed or dismissed.

More than half of the participants said they were misdiagnosed with conditions comparable to hemorrhoids, IBS, anemia, and mental health issues.

Patients ages 19 to 39 were the almost certainly to feel dismissed, the team found.

Alarmingly, these are the age groups that colon cancer is rising the quickest in. Recent statistics suggest that colon cancers have grown by 500 percent in children ages 10 to 14 and 333 percent in teens ages 15 to 19.

The American Cancer Society estimates there might be 106,590 cases of colon cancer and 46,220 instances of rectal cancer this 12 months, together with 53,010 deaths.

It’s currently the fourth most typical cancer within the US behind lung, prostate, and breast cancers. And nearly one in 4 patients are diagnosed after the disease has already spread to other organs.

Overall, ‘delays in diagnostic workup after sign or symptom presentation are as much as 40% longer compared with older individuals with colorectal cancer,’ the researchers wrote.

They advised doctors to work with patients to make sure they’re diagnosed quickly. They also suggested patients should ask for a colonoscopy or stool test in the event that they experience symptoms.

The review was published last week within the journal JAMA Network Open.