- Incidence of colon cancer in 45-49 year-olds jumped 12% from 2019 to 2022 due to new guidelines.
- Screening rates among U.S. adults aged 45-49 surged by 62% between 2019 and 2023.
- The recommended screening age was lowered from 50 to 45 by the ACS in 2018 and USPSTF in 2021.
In a promising development for public health, new research from the American Cancer Society (ACS) reveals that increased colorectal cancer screenings in adults aged 45 to 49 are leading to a rise in early-stage diagnoses. The findings, published in two studies in the Journal of the American Medical Association, underscore the critical impact of recent recommendations to lower the screening age.
The studies show a direct correlation between the new guidelines, increased screenings, and early cancer detection. One study highlighted a significant jump in the annual colorectal cancer incidence among 45- to 49-year-olds, from a 1.1% increase between 2004 and 2019 to a sharp 12% increase from 2019 to 2022. This surge is directly tied to the new screening protocols.
A second study confirmed this trend, reporting a remarkable 62% increase in screenings among U.S. adults in this age group between 2019 and 2023. These new figures indicate that colon cancer is not only a major public health concern, but the rising awareness and proactive measures are also propelling significant growth in the colon screening market as more individuals seek preventative testing.
The recommended screening age was lowered from 50 to 45 by the ACS in 2018 and later by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) in 2021. Elizabeth Schafer, a lead author and surveillance scientist at the ACS, described the findings as “promising news,” attributing the uptick in cases to these first-time screenings among younger, average-risk adults.
While celebrating the progress, another author, Jessica Star, said, “Screening rates remain suboptimal and have not increased equitably across different educational and insurance backgrounds.”
The article also touched on concerns from medical associations regarding a potential shake-up within the USPSTF, an independent panel of experts whose recommendations guide preventive health measures. Dr. Thomas Lew of Stanford University warned, “Removing members of this task force could greatly damage preventive care efforts, potentially leading to sicker populations and higher healthcare costs.” These findings emphasize the vital role of consistent, expert-backed guidelines in driving public health improvements and early disease detection.
