Not ‘an old person’s disease’: Advocates call for lowering colorectal cancer screening age

Visitors walk through an inflatable colon as the American Cancer Society displayed information urging screening to detect colorectal cancer in Sacramento, Calif., on March 24, 2014. (Rich Pedroncelli / AP Photo)

Health advocates are pushing for all provinces and territories to lower the screening age for colorectal cancer to 45 as a growing number of younger adults are getting the disease.

“Our objective is to ensure that young Canadians do not ignore the signs and symptoms just because of their age and that they are aware of their family medical history and risk level, as we call on our provincial and territorial health ministries to lower the screening age for colorectal cancer throughout the country to 45,” said Barry Stein, president and CEO of Colorectal Cancer Canada, in a statement on Tuesday.

Colorectal cancer screening is currently offered for those at “average-risk” across Canada. Those at average risk are aged 50 to 74 who don’t have symptoms and personal or family history of the following:

• colorectal cancer
• certain polyps
• genetic conditions like Lynch syndrome
• inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s or colitis.

Colorectal Cancer Canada, a national non-profit group, said its advice follows the change made to U.S. guidelines in 2018 to include those aged 45 to 49 for screening based on “evidence-based recommendations” from the American Cancer Society. Australia also reduced the starting age for bowel cancer screening to 45 from 50 in 2024.

What is the risk?

Although individuals aged 50 and older are mostly getting the cancer, Colorectal Cancer Canada said it’s not “an old person’s disease” and the risk now is greater for younger adults compared to past generations.

Those born after 1980 are two to 2.5 times more likely to get colorectal cancer before they turn 50, according to Colorectal Cancer Canada. What’s more, it said younger patients tend to be diagnosed with the disease at more advanced stages, which creates “unique challenges” for prognosis and treatment.

Early onset colorectal cancer is rising among those below age 50, Colorectal Cancer Canada added. At the same time, Canada is seeing a declining number of cases and deaths for those 50 and older.