The cancer kills 17,000 people in the UK alone each year
A specific type of cancer is rising in numbers when it comes to younger people in the UK and experts have weighed in as to why it’s happening.
It’s incredibly important to get yourself checked if you believe that your health is failing, but what happens when you have a hard-to-spot cancer?
With a new study by Lancet sharing the latest data on the cancer type, it’s essential that we change some things to lessen our risk.
The Lancet study found a sharp rise across the world (Getty Stock Images)
The findings, which used population data until 2017, noted that early onset colorectal cancer is rising in young people.
Killing 17,000 people in the UK alone each year, it’s a major issue in the under 50s category.
What did the study find about colorectal cancer?
According to the study, the ‘cancer incidence rates are rising in 27 of 50 countries and territories examined, with the rise either exclusive to early-onset disease or faster than the increase in older adults in 20 of the 27 countries’.
The study found that the ‘steepest inclines’ in early cancer cases were found in Chile (4 percent), New Zealand (under 4 percent), Puerto Rico (3.8%) and England (3.6 percent).
It’s also been found to increase in cases in Canada and Germany too.
It shared that there is a new ‘need for intensified efforts to identify factors driving these trends and increase awareness to help facilitate early detection’.
The rise could be attributed to one main thing (Getty Stock Images)
Why is there a rise in colorectal cancer?
Simply put, it’s the western diet, according to Researchers from the American Cancer Society, who led the study.
They explained that the rise is spreading to areas where companies who make junk food are expanding, such as in poorer areas.
This then expands the ultra-processed-food diet, which has been linked to a number of serious health risks.
The study shared that colorectal cancer is the ‘third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death, responsible for more than 1·9 million new cases and almost 904 000 deaths in 2022 worldwide’.
While studies are continuing to figure out why younger people are being diagnosed more, experts believe that it’s dietary.
“The rise in early-onset colorectal cancer did appear to start in Western societies and lifestyles, and I believe that what we’re seeing now around the world is a reflection of these lifestyles, which have become more prevalent worldwide,” said Dr Marios Giannakis, an oncologist at Dana-Farber Gastrointestinal Cancer Center.
But it could also be down to lifestyle factors such as not exercising or smoking.
“When the environment we live in reduces the opportunities for exercise, the physical activity levels would be lower in industrialised environments compared to pre-industrial environments where people have to work and grow their food,” said Hyuna Sung, a study author.
The added: “All of those built environments and food environments that come with economic wealth — we think part of this increase in colorectal cancer is attributable to those changes.”
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It’s all in the diet (Getty Stock Images)
What you can do to minimise your risk?
One of the easiest ways to reduce your risk is through your diet and lifestyle changes.
Sung shared: “I don’t think there’s a reason for us to be nervous, I think it’s a good opportunity for us to learn how we can improve our overall health.
“It’s not just about cancer; if you change your behaviours to be more healthy, that will change and reduce your risk of other diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity, in the future.”
There are several symptoms to look out for (Getty Stock Images)
What are the signs of colorectal cancer?
The NHS notes that potential symptoms include changes in your poo such as it becoming softer or experiencing constipation.
Having blood in your poo is also another sign or feeling like you need to go to the toilet more frequently.
Losing weight without a clear reason as to why or feeling very fatigued without having performed anything tiresome, is another cause for concern.
If you’ve been having these symptoms for three weeks or more you should book to see a doctor.
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
There are some simple lifestyle habits which can help reduce your risk of developing a form of cancer which is hard to spot and is rising in prominence among young people.
A recent study from the Lancet into this kind of cancer which kills 17,000 people in the UK each year has indicated that it’s rising in England more than anywhere else in the world.
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A study has warned about rising rates of early-onset bowel cancer. (Getty Stock Photo)
This is bowel cancer, which is becoming an increasing health issue among younger generations as the study found that there were more people getting early-onset cancer.
The study called for ‘intensified efforts to identify factors driving these trends’ as well as greater awareness ‘to help facilitate early detection’, since it can go without being spotted for a worryingly long time.
One of the easiest ways to reduce your risk of developing bowel cancer is through your diet.
What you eat can have a massive impact on your health, and the basic principles of a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables is always going to put you in good stead.
For bowel cancer, there are certain foods you’re best off avoiding or trying to eat less of when you can.
Bowel Cancer UK have said that ideally you wouldn’t eat more than 70g of red meat a day, and if you eat beyond that in a day then you should avoid it at another time to even things out.
They highlighted how you could be eating more than you expected without realising it, as a typical portion of spaghetti bolognese can contain about 140g of red meat, so you might want to try swapping out some of the mince for something else.
They said: “Research shows that eating processed meats is linked to an increase in the risk of developing bowel cancer. These are meats that have been preserved by smoking, curing, salting or adding preservatives.
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Cutting down on red meat in your diet could help reduce your risk of bowel cancer. (Getty Stock Photo)
“This includes bacon, ham, salami and sausages. It’s best to avoid eating processed meats as much as possible.”
Of course, this is just one aspect of a healthy lifestyle and even then it’s no guarantee that the cancer won’t develop.
The sad fact is that you can do everything right in terms of your lifestyle and still get it, it’s just that there are some things which you can do to really boost your chances of avoiding it.
While bowel cancer might be hard to spot, the NHS said that potential symptoms might be changes in your poo such as it becoming softer or you getting constipation.
Having blood in your poo is another bad sign, as is feeling like you need to go to the toilet even though you’ve just been.
Losing weight without a clear reason or feeling very tired and not knowing why is another cause for concern, if you’ve been having these symptoms for three weeks or more you should go and see a doctor.
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
According to a new study by Lancet, which used population data until 2017, this type of cancer is rising in young people and it’s actually increasing more in England than anywhere else in the world.
Killing 17,000 people in the UK alone each year, it’s becoming more and more of an issue in the under 50s category.
The cancer has seen a sharp rise in young people here in the UK (Getty Stock Images)
According to the study, the ‘cancer incidence rates are rising in 27 of 50 countries and territories examined, with the rise either exclusive to early-onset disease or faster than the increase in older adults in 20 of the 27 countries’.
It also stresses the ‘need for intensified efforts to identify factors driving these trends and increase awareness to help facilitate early detection’.
On of those trends is our diets, according to Researchers from the American Cancer Society, who also led the findings.
They explained that the rise in early onset cancers is spreading as companies who make junk food has spread more to poorer countries, which then expands the ultra-processed-food diet above traditional meals.
The study found that the ‘steepest inclines’ in early cancer cases were noted in Chile (4%), New Zealand (under 4%), Puerto Rico (3.8%) and England (3.6%).
The cancer they’re talking about is early onset colorectal cancer, aka bowel cancer.
Colorectal cancer is increasing in England’s under 50 population (Getty Stock Images)
According to Cancer Research UK: “Bowel cancer means cancer that starts in the large bowel (colon) and the back passage (rectum). It is also known as colorectal cancer. Your treatment depends on where the cancer starts in your bowel.”
symptoms
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Using the toilet more or less often
- Blood in your stool
- Abdominal pain or a lump in your abdomen
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue for no reason
- Bloating.
It’s important to note that bowel cancer symptoms can be presenting for different reasons. For example, it could be irritable bowel syndrome, but getting checked out is the only way to know for sure.
The Lancet study found that bowel cancer rates in young people rose in 27 out of the 50 countries studied, with Dr Hyuna Sung, the senior principal scientist at the American Cancer Society, saying as per The Mirror: “The global scope of this concerning trend highlights the need for innovative tools to prevent and control cancers linked to dietary habits, physical inactivity, and excess body weight.
“Raising awareness of the trend and the distinct symptoms of early-onset colorectal cancer among young people and primary care providers can help reduce delays in diagnosis and decrease mortality.”
