{"id":148778,"date":"2026-04-21T21:29:46","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T01:29:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=148778"},"modified":"2026-04-21T21:29:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T01:29:46","slug":"colorectal-cancer-is-rising-in-younger-adults-why-screening-at-45-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=148778","title":{"rendered":"Colorectal cancer is rising in younger adults \u2013 why screening at 45 matters"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Dr. Jeremy Wigginton<\/em><\/p>\n

Colorectal cancer is no longer a disease seen mainly in older adults. Rates have been rising among people under age 50, yet many younger adults are not getting tested early \u2013 when the disease is most preventable and treatable.<\/p>\n

National guidelines now recommend that most adults begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45. According to the most recent statistics available, only\u00a037% of adults ages 45 to 49<\/a>\u00a0were up to date on their colorectal cancer screening.<\/p>\n

This gap matters. New data show the\u00a0largest increases in colorectal cancer rates<\/a>\u00a0are occurring among people ages 20 to 49, and younger adults are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages, when treatment is more complex and outcomes are often worse.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, the\u00a0death of actor James van\u202fDer\u202fBeek<\/a>\u00a0at age 48 brought more public attention to this trend.<\/p>\n

One reason colorectal cancer can be harder to catch early in younger adults is that it\u00a0doesn’t always cause symptoms<\/a>, especially at first, according to the CDC.<\/p>\n

When they do appear, symptoms such as blood in the stool, abdominal discomfort, or diarrhea can be easy to dismiss or attribute to diet, stress, or other common issues. Paying attention to changes in your body \u2013 and raising concerns with your doctor \u2013 can make a meaningful difference.<\/p>\n

The encouraging news is that colorectal cancer is highly preventable. Many cases start as\u00a0precancerous polyps<\/a>\u00a0that can be detected and removed during routine screening.<\/p>\n

When cancer is caught early, treatment is typically less invasive and far more effective. That\u2019s why national guidelines were lowered to age 45 earlier this decade by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.<\/p>\n

This guidance reflects what we are seeing in real\u2011world data today. Some people, such as those with a family history of colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, or certain inherited conditions, may need to begin screening earlier and should discuss their risk with their doctor.<\/p>\n

There are several screening options available, including colonoscopy and other approved tests. The best choice depends on individual risk and medical history, and a conversation with a doctor can help determine the right approach.<\/p>\n

Many preventive screenings, including colorectal cancer screening, may be covered by your insurance at no cost. Coverage helps remove barriers \u2013 but taking the step to get screened is what truly matters.<\/p>\n

If you are 45 or older, talk with your doctor about scheduling a screening.<\/p>\n

Colorectal cancer is becoming more common in younger adults, but early detection works \u2013 and screening remains one of our most effective tools to protect long\u2011term health.<\/p>\n

By Dr. Jeremy Wigginton is Chief Medical Officer at Capital Blue Cross.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Dr. Jeremy Wigginton Colorectal cancer is no longer a disease seen mainly in older adults. Rates have been rising among people under age 50, yet many younger adults are … Continue reading Colorectal cancer is rising in younger adults \u2013 why screening at 45 matters<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":112634,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[482],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-148778","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press-release-2"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/capital-blue.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148778"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=148778"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148778\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":148779,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148778\/revisions\/148779"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/112634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=148778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=148778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=148778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}