Chapter 1 — Why Colon Cancer Is Getting More Attention

For many years, colorectal cancer was considered primarily a disease of older adults. That picture, however, has been changing.

In several countries, doctors and researchers have observed increasing rates of colorectal cancer among younger adults. Scientists are still investigating exactly why this trend is occurring. Possible contributors include obesity, physical inactivity, dietary patterns, alcohol consumption, metabolic health, environmental exposures, and other factors that are still being studied.