Colorectal cancer is no longer just an older adult's disease. A major Swiss study tracking nearly 100,000 cases over four decades found that diagnoses in adults under 50 have been climbing by about 0.5% per year, even as rates fall among older adults due to screening programs. Many younger patients — some in their thirties with no family history — are being caught late, when cancer has already spread. Researchers from the University of Geneva and Geneva University Hospitals say the trend mirrors patterns seen across other wealthy nations. The causes remain unclear, but the findings highlight an urgent need for greater awareness of early warning signs and possible reconsideration of screening age thresholds.
