Rates of colon and rectal cancer are rising sharply among young and middle-aged adults in the United States but doctors have yet to pinpoint why, researchers said Tuesday.
The report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that Generation X and millennials face anywhere from twice to four times the risk of colon and rectal cancer as their baby boomer counterparts.
The study did not uncover a reason for the change. Experts say colon and rectal cancer can be inherited and can also be influenced by the high-fat, low fiber diets that are common in the Western world.
“Our finding that colorectal cancer risk for millennials has escalated back to the level of those born in the late 1800s is very sobering,” said lead author Rebecca Siegel, a researcher with the American Cancer Society.
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