The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been steadily increasing among men younger than 50 years, while remaining stable among women of the same age group, according to a study conducted in Austria. This finding suggests that patient sex should be considered when determining the age for starting CRC screening.
Key findings from the study include:
- From 2008 to 2018, the prevalence of adenomas (precursor lesions to CRC) increased from 12.4% to 14.1% among individuals younger than 50 years.
- CRC incidence per 100,000 individuals rose from 9.1 in 1988 to 10.2 in 2018 among men under 50 years. In contrast, the incidence decreased from 9.7 to 7.7 among women of the same age group during the same period.
- The study analyzed 296,170 patients who underwent screening colonoscopy within the Austrian quality assurance program between 2008 and 2018, along with CRC incidence data from Statistic Austria from 1988 to 2018.
The researchers found that 10.5% of individuals younger than 50 years and 21.9% aged 50 years and older had adenomas. Additionally, 3.9% of younger individuals and 6.9% of older individuals had at least one advanced adenoma. The prevalence of adenomas was higher among men compared to women in both the 40-44 and 45-49 age groups.
The study concluded that the prevalence of adenomas and advanced adenomas has increased among younger adults in Austria. The researchers suggest that based on these findings, screening should start at age 40 for males and age 50 or even later, around age 55, for females. This recommendation is based on the observed gender differences in CRC incidence and the need for early detection to improve outcomes.