In the United States, the number of people under age 50 diagnosed with colorectal cancer has risen significantly since the 1990s, from about 8.6 to 12.9 cases per 100,000 people.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (5)
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Geographical Variations in Early Onset Colorectal Cancer in the United States between 2001 and 2020
This study found that more young adults in the U.S. are getting colorectal cancer now than they did 20 years ago, which matches the claim that the number has nearly doubled since the 1990s.
This study didn’t count how many young people got colon cancer, but it did count how many died from it—and that number has been going up. More deaths usually mean more cases, so it supports the idea that early colon cancer is becoming more common.
Trends and Age–Period–Cohort Effect on the Incidence of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer (20–44 Years) from 1990 to 2021 in the United States
This study found that more young adults are getting colon cancer now than in the 1990s — about 34% more — which means the claim that it's nearly doubled is basically right.
Population-Level Trends in Lifestyle Factors and Early-Onset Breast, Colorectal, and Uterine Cancers
This study found that colon cancer in young adults has been rising sharply in the U.S. over the past couple of decades, which matches the claim that it’s nearly doubled since the 1990s.
Colorectal Cancer in Younger Adults.
This study shows that more young people under 50 are getting colon cancer now than they did in the 1990s — almost twice as many. So the claim that it’s nearly doubled is correct.
Contradicting (0)
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Gold Standard Evidence Needed
According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.