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 lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, has pledged to support the breast cancer awareness programme of the ABC Foundation founded by former Oyo First Lady, Dr. Florence Ajimobi.
Oseni, who is Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), made the commitment on Thursday in Ibadan at the flag-off of Pink Month 2025, an initiative of the foundation.
Contained in a statement by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, the lawmaker described the campaign as a “lifesaving mission” given the rising burden of breast cancer in Nigeria, with over 28,000 new cases and thousands of deaths reported annually.
The APC chieftain said the free screening of 1,000 women planned by the foundation was timely, stressing that early detection remained the strongest weapon in the fight against cancer.
Hon. Aderemi Oseni exchanging pleasantries with former Oyo State First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Florence Ajimobi, at the event.
“Health is life. Only this June, I moved a motion at the National Assembly which led to the Federal Government subsidising dialysis treatment nationwide. Today, dialysis is either free or heavily discounted in federal health facilities,” Oseni said.
He listed his personal interventions to include funding hospital bills of indigent patients, construction of hospitals in Ido and Ibarapa East, establishment of primary health centres, and organisation of medical outreaches. He also disclosed plans to deploy mobile clinics to rural areas.
Commending Mrs. Ajimobi for sustaining her late husband’s legacy through humanitarian service, Oseni assured of partnership with the foundation, saying women’s wellbeing and empowerment remained central to his vision for Oyo State.
In her remarks, Mrs. Ajimobi said the foundation had offered medical care to over 85,000 patients and conducted more than 100,000 investigations since its inception. She added that the campaign was not just corporate social responsibility but “a moral duty and sacred trust.”
The former first lady, who lost her daughter Abisola to breast cancer earlier this year, said the experience had strengthened her resolve to save other families from such tragedy. She appealed to women to take advantage of the free screening and called on partners and development agencies to support the fight.
Chairman of Fidson Healthcare Plc, Dr. Fidelis Akhagboso Ayebae, and Chief Executive Officer of Hazon Holdings, Dr. Victor ’Gbenga Afolabi, are set to lead discussions at the second edition of the D’Bio Wellness & Selfcare Summit.
The event is scheduled to hold on September 24 and 25 at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Conference and Exhibition Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.
This year’s summit has the theme: “Self-Care as a Driver of Optimal Health and Wellness.”
Ayebae will serve as chairman of the event, while Afolabi, who is also the co-founder of Wellness HMO, will deliver the keynote address.
Ayebae, founder of Fidson Healthcare, is regarded as one of Nigeria’s leading pharmaceutical entrepreneurs. He is a fellow of the Institute of Directors Nigeria and the Institute of Corporate Affairs Management, and has held significant roles in the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.
Afolabi has more than 20 years’ experience spanning healthcare, finance, technology and marketing. He is also the founder of the Eko Innovation Centre, a Lagos-based technology hub that supports start-ups and young entrepreneurs.
Convener of the summit, Dr. Monica Hemben Eimunjeze, said the event would focus on practical steps to improve health outcomes through self-care.
She said, “We are excited to welcome Dr. Ayebae and Dr. Afolabi as pivotal figures in our quest to enhance health literacy and empower individuals to prioritise self-care. This summit is not just about discussions; it is about actionable insights that can inspire and transform lives.”
The organisers said the two-day summit is open to the public and will feature panel sessions with health and wellness experts, attracting healthcare professionals, advocates and business leaders.
The Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Moor Plantation, Apata, Ibadan, has joined the campaign to eradicate malaria in Nigeria.
The initiative followed the unveiling of the Geneith Health Competition on the institution’s campus on Tuesday.
The competition, organised by CEOAfrica in partnership with Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited and powered by Coatal Forte Softgel, targets students of tertiary and secondary schools nationwide to spread knowledge on malaria prevention.
Convener of the project, Mr. Cletus Ilobanafo, said the programme was designed to raise awareness through a structured health contest at the state, regional and national levels.
He said Geneith Pharmaceuticals has committed N1 billion to the project, with N400 million earmarked for scholarships and N600 million for gift items to motivate participants. “By promoting education and prevention strategies, this competition underscores the dedication of all stakeholders in combating malaria and improving public health in Nigeria,” Ilobanafo added.
The Provost of the College, Dr. Chidi Okpeze, praised the organisers for selecting the institution as a launch platform for the campaign. He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, for their commitment to repositioning the livestock sector to boost national growth.
“Our students are ready to key into this initiative. They are articulate, active, and have represented us well in international competitions. We are confident they will excel in this campaign too,” he said.
The Provost urged the students to brace up for the task ahead and uphold the institution’s tradition of excellence.
Some students, who spoke on behalf of their colleagues, pledged to support the anti-malaria campaign by intensifying environmental sanitation on campus. They also commended the organisers and sponsors for giving them the opportunity to contribute to the fight against malaria.
They promised to sustain clean surroundings and spread the message beyond the school to ensure malaria is eradicated from the system.
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