Early-onset colorectal cancer is behaving like a new, biologically distinct disease, researchers note

One woman’s pregnancy shows how this distinction matters

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Jenna Scott was 29, seven months pregnant, and suddenly, feeling very sick. 

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For decades, we have faced a central challenge in colorectal cancer screening. One in three eligible Americans—over 50 million people—remain unscreened despite established methods like colonoscopy or stool-based tests existing for decades. This gap persists even though early detection saves lives, and even as colorectal cancer is now the number one cancer killer for Americans under 50.
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. It is a reminder of a heartbreaking trend that oncologists like me are witnessing in our clinics: Last year, for the first time, colorectal cancer became the leading cause of cancer-related death in Americans under the age of 50, according to data published earlier this year in JAMA.

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