Health
Colorectal Cancer: Why Adults in Their 40s and 50s Need to Get Screened
Experts say older adults get screened for colorectal cancer at a significantly higher rate than younger adults. RealPeopleGroup/Getty Images
Experts say colorectal cancer screening rates are low for people in their 40s and 50s.
They say the lower levels are partly due to the ability to take time off work, insurance coverage, and healthcare access.
They note that colorectal cancer is treatable if detected in its early stages.
Colorectal cancer screenings save lives, but a new study suggests that middle-aged people in the United States aren’t getting the message.
Rates of colorectal cancer screening are increasing, but only around 48% of adults ages 50 to 54 received their recommended screenings in 2018 compared to 78% of those ages 70 to 75, the new study shows.
“Colorectal cancer is the third most common causeTrusted Source of cancer death in the United States, and approximately one in 20 people will be diagnosedTrusted Source with colorectal cancer in their lifetime,” Dr. Lynn O’Connor, MPH, the chief of colon and rectal surgery at Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre, New York, and St. Joseph Hospital in Bethpage, New York, told Healthline.
And it’s not just an older person’s problem.
“Thirty percent of colorectal cancer diagnoses are in people under the age of 55,” O’Connor said. “The message that screening colonoscopies save lives has clearly penetrated the older age groups, However, this message does not seem to be permeating clearly through the younger age groups.”
The past few years have seen the recommended age for colorectal cancer screenings lowered from 55 to 50 and most recently from 50 to 45, per a recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
But a more robust public health messaging push may be required to get more adults to the doctor’s office for these life-saving checkups.
“The recent deaths of actors Chadwick Boseman, age 43, and Billy Kametz, age 35, have placed a national spotlight on the reality that colon cancer is no longer a disease for those over the age of 50,” Dr. Paul Johnson, a colon and rectal surgeon at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in Memphis, Tennessee, told Healthline.
“The incidence of colorectal cancer is rising among younger people, and scarier still, we, as physicians, don’t exactly know why. As a colorectal surgeon, the most common response I hear from a young patient diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer is they dismissed any potential warning sign as a hemorrhoid,” he said.
Health disparities and structural barriers
While some might assume that barriers to colorectal cancer screening are based mainly on fear of the procedure or of receiving bad news, O’Connor said those are only minor factors.
“Barriers to colorectal screening are complex,” she said. “In the younger age group who are the gainfully employed subset of the population, there may be an inability to take off work, cost, insurance coverage, lack of physician referrals, and attitudes and beliefs.”
The study showed this as well.
While combined colorectal cancer screening rates for recommended age groups were 66%, the rates for people in low-income households were 56%. For those without insurance, it was even lower, at just under 40%.
While the study didn’t cover the newly recommended 45 to 50 age range, O’Connor said it was likely there would be similarly lower screening rates in the 50 to 55 age range.
Tackling this, she said, will require a nationwide effort.
“Developing and implementing a national screening policy with a standardized screening message that can be conveyed to patients is key,” she said. “Additionally, insurance carriers need to be on the same page with offering screening at age 45 and covering it. The importance of proactive screening initiatives in underserved areas cannot be understated.”
An ounce of prevention
An important point, experts said, is that people need to know that colorectal cancer can be stopped in its tracks with appropriate screening.
“I think the most unique facet of colorectal cancer is that in the vast majority of situations, it’s preventable,” said Dr. Steven D. Wexner, the center director of Digestive Diseases & and Surgery Institute and department chair of colorectal surgery at Cleveland Clinic Florida in Weston.
“In the vast majority of colorectal cancers, the precursor to the cancer is the polyp,” he told Healthline. “If somebody undergoes a screening colonoscopy and a polyp is identified – the polyp is removed. It will not have the opportunity to progress to cancer and, therefore, the patient will never need treatment for cancer.”
“There are not many cancers where we know the sequence from benign to malignant, and we can interrupt that sequence by removing the benign precursor,” Wexner continued. “I believe Benjamin Franklin said something along the lines of an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, and it really applies here you go into your screening colonoscopy.”
Johnson agreed.
“Up to 20 percentTrusted Source of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer are found at advanced stages,” he said. “Early detection saves lives.”
The Oyo State Ministry of Health has closed two hospitals in Saki West Local Government Area following a suspected outbreak of Lassa fever, which has claimed four lives.
The fatalities, confirmed by the Oyo State Rapid Response Team (RRT), include three males and a 32-year-old female who was preparing for her wedding. The closure of the hospitals aims to contain the spread of the disease and ensure thorough decontamination.
In a press statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, revealed that the RRT was dispatched to Saki following distress calls from residents reporting mysterious deaths.
Findings and Immediate Actions
The RRT, comprising health officials, representatives from WHO and the Red Cross, and local health authorities, conducted a comprehensive investigation into the outbreak.
Preliminary findings suggest that an apprentice at one of the affected hospitals, who had recently returned from Iwajowa Local Government Area, might have introduced the infection.
The team disclosed that the deceased exhibited symptoms consistent with Lassa fever, such as craniofacial bleeding. The hospital owner, who was among the deceased, initially self-medicated with antimalarials and antibiotics before seeking hospital care when his condition worsened.
Containment Measures
Both the hospital where the fatalities occurred and the facility that admitted the hospital owner were shut down for decontamination.
Contact tracing efforts are ongoing, focusing on high-risk individuals who had contact with the deceased during their illness or burial.
Affected health workers were trained on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) protocols, and public awareness campaigns were conducted to educate residents about Lassa fever.
Samples have been collected from a symptomatic individual, pending laboratory confirmation. Line-listing of contacts is underway to identify potential cases and prevent further spread.
Collaborative Efforts
The RRT also paid an advocacy visit to the Okere of Saki’s palace to brief traditional authorities on the situation. Local government officials in Saki West were engaged to coordinate containment strategies.
Reports indicate that while the outbreak initially affected Saki West, it has extended to Iwajowa and Kajola Local Government Areas.
Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs) in the affected LGAs have been instructed to commence preliminary containment measures as the State RRT ramps up its response.
Call for Vigilance
The Ministry of Health has urged residents to remain vigilant, report any symptoms suggestive of Lassa fever, and adhere to preventive measures.
These include proper hygiene practices, avoiding contact with rodents, and seeking medical attention promptly if symptoms arise.
A member representing Ibarapa East/Ido federal constituency of Oyo State at the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has announced a plan to launch a “Mobile Clinic” programme aimed at providing essential healthcare services directly to rural communities across the constituency.
Scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2025, this initiative underscores Oseni’s commitment to expanding healthcare access, particularly for underserved populations.
Speaking on Saturday at the 10th-anniversary celebration of God’s Knot Hospital in Ologuneru, Ibadan, the lawmaker, who also chairs the House Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), highlighted the programme’s primary objective: bringing healthcare closer to the people.
“Every community deserves attention; healthcare should never be bound by geographical barriers,” Oseni stated.
He explained that the mobile clinics would deliver essential health check-ups, screenings, and preventive care in remote areas, allowing residents to access quality healthcare without traveling long distances.
As part of his broader healthcare agenda, Oseni informed, through a statement by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, that he has already facilitated the construction of two fully equipped maternity centers within his constituency, both slated for commissioning before December 2024. He also disclosed plans to establish two modern general hospitals in 2025, further strengthening his commitment to building a healthier community.
The lawmaker expressed interest in collaborating with God’s Knot Hospital on the mobile clinic project, calling for partnerships to support sustainable healthcare initiatives that enhance the quality of life for vulnerable populations in the constituency.
“I resonate deeply with the mission of God’s Knot Hospital,” Oseni shared, adding that such partnerships would significantly improve healthcare in Oyo State”.
The anniversary event attracted distinguished guests, including former Ondo State Governor Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, whom Oseni commended for his contributions to healthcare, particularly through the Mother and Child Hospitals that transformed maternal and child healthcare in Ondo State.
Oseni urged philanthropists, government bodies, and international organizations to support healthcare projects like the upcoming mobile clinics, emphasising that the improvement of healthcare services is a shared responsibility.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has ordered the immediate closure of the Gomboru drug market in Maiduguri following severe flooding that submerged the area and contaminated the drugs sold within the market.
In a statement posted on its official X handle, NAFDAC disclosed that the decision was made after reports surfaced that contaminated drugs, which had been washed and sun-dried for resale, were being sold at the market.
“After the recent flooding in Maiduguri that submerged the Gomboru drug market where contaminated drugs were washed and sun-dried for resale, the @DGatNAFDAC ordered the immediate closure of the market to conduct a thorough shop-to-shop removal of these compromised drugs,” the agency wrote.
The flooding, which ravaged Maiduguri, was triggered by the rupture of the Alau dam on the Ngadda River, located 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the city.
The floodwaters claimed at least 30 lives and displaced 400,000 residents, leaving large parts of the city and surrounding areas in devastation.
NAFDAC’s intervention is aimed at safeguarding public health by preventing the sale and consumption of contaminated drugs.
The agency has mobilized teams to inspect the market and ensure the removal of all compromised pharmaceutical products.
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