Why is this Type of Cancer Rising In Younger People?
There’s a cancer trend on the rise…
But this time it’s not affecting the very old among us…
It’s hitting people under 50 — sometimes even in their 30s or late 20s.
Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) used to be rare in younger people.
But it now accounts for about 1 in 10 new cases worldwide.
According to the current predictions, that number could more than double by 2030.
So what’s going on?
Back in 2003, researchers looking at cancer data from 1973 to 1999 noticed something odd.
While colon cancer rates were flat or falling in older people — thanks in part to better screening — cases among 20-40-year-olds were climbing fast, especially rectal cancer, which had jumped by 75%.
At first, this was brushed off as a quirk in the statistics.
But increases started to appear in other wealthy nations like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and here in the UK.
So what’s driving it?
Well, a whole host of suspects.
- More ultra-processed, low-fibre food
- More red meat
- More alcohol
- More antibiotics
- Less movement
- More sitting
It is also being linked to a rise in rates of obesity and diabetes.
Yet again it’s an example – to my mind at least – of something going horribly, fundamentally wrong with the way we eat and live in the 21st century.
No longer can these things be blamed on “Well we are living longer so there’re more diseases of old age”.
Instead, younger people are falling prey to “older people” diseases.
Interestingly, colorectal cancer could also be down to something else…
Worrying new theory about E.Coli revealed
In March this year, scientists in the USA revealed a new theory…
When they looked at tumour samples from people with early-onset bowel cancer (that’s those under 50), they found many more DNA changes linked to something called ‘colibactin’ than they did in older patients.
Now, colibactin isn’t some chemical from a factory or pesticide in our food supply.
It’s a toxin produced by certain strains of E. Coli, a bacterium that lives in all of us.
Despite its bad reputation, E. Coli is essential for a healthy gut microbiome, helping to digest food and support your immune system.
But some rogue strains of E. Coli can make colibactin, which can damage your DNA. This is the first step towards cancer.
What’s alarming is that the American researchers found these colibactin-related mutations early in the cancer development process.
In other words, the damage was already happening long before the tumour formed…. possibly during childhood.
So could it be that exposure to colibactin-producing bacteria in childhood is a trigger for bowel cancer in adulthood?
It’s just a theory at the moment, but I’ll keep you informed!
There’s no need to panic either.
Most of us are exposed to these bacteria at some point, and our immune systems — along with a healthy microbiome — usually keep things in check.
And not everyone exposed to this toxin gets cancer!
But it does suggest that the foundations for bowel cancer may have been laid down decades earlier.
This fits in with other trends we’ve seen, where the microbiome is an essential influence behind our health.
The rise in ultra-processed food, antibiotic use, sedentary lifestyles, and gut-disrupting conditions like IBS can tip your microbiome out of balance.
And when that microbial ecosystem is damaged, the good bacteria struggle, and the bad actors — like colibactin-producing E. Coli — can gain more ground.
How to Keep Your Gut Healthy
No matter what your age, the answer is to keep eating well.
In particular, eat more fibre, especially the kind you get from vegetables, beans, oats and wholegrains. Fibre feeds your good gut bacteria and keeps things moving along properly.
Bowel Cancer UK claims that 28% of all bowel cancer cases in the UK are linked to a lack of fibre – and yet only 9% of British adults eat the recommended 30 grams per day!
On a similar token, consume more probiotics, fermented foods like kefir and kimchi, and prebiotics like onions, garlic and leeks.
You can also take a good-quality probiotic like this one: https://goodlifeletter.com/product/pro-daily-probiotic-for-a-healthy-gut/
And we also have this supplement designed to support a healthy microbiome, which you can check out here: https://goodlifeletter.com/product/fermented-food-multibiotic-microbiome-support/
I’ll be back with more at the weekend – including some advice on keeping your bones healthy and strong.
Yours as ever
Ray Collins
