The bowel cancer symptoms to look out for as cases in young people rise sharply in England

Researchers say bowel cancer rates in young people are rising more sharply in England than many other countries around the world - most likely as a result of diet, alcohol, and smoking.

While bowel cancer in those aged 25 to 49 is increasing globally, England has experienced a greater than average rise, with a 3.6% increase every year, researchers calculated. There is significant ongoing research into why more younger people are developing bowel cancer, but experts believe the main causes include poor diet, ultra-processed foods, obesity, and insufficient exercise that all play a key role.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “This flagship study reveals that increasing rates of early onset bowel cancer, affecting adults aged 25 to 49, is a global issue.

“Concerningly, this research has revealed for the first time ever that rates are rising more sharply in England than in many other countries around the world. A cancer diagnosis at any age has a huge impact on patients and their families – so while it’s important to note that rates in younger adults are still very low compared to people over 50, we need to understand what’s causing this trend in younger people.”

The study, published in the journal Lancet Oncology, revealed bowel cancer rates in young people rose in 27 out of the 50 countries studied in the decade up to 2017.

Researchers from the American Cancer Society, who led the findings, said the rise in early onset cancers is no longer limited to high-income Western countries but is now a “global phenomenon”. They found the “steepest inclines” in early bowel cancer incidence were found in Chile (4% annual rise on average), New Zealand (4%), Puerto Rico (3.8%), and England (3.6%).

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