Photo Credit: Dr Microbe

Early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality has risen in the United States over the past 2 decades, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology. Yazan Abboud, MD, and colleagues compared early-onset CRC mortality between young (20-44) and younger-age (45-54) cohorts. Mortality rates decreased from 2000 to 2005 and increased from 2005 to 2022 (annual percentage change [APC], 0.87). Patients aged 45-54 (107,280 deaths), with mortality declining from 2000 to 2005 and increasing afterward (APC, 0.87). For patients aged 20 to 44 (39,746 deaths), mortality steadily rose from 2000 to 2022 (APC, 0.93) and had similar trends. Patients aged 20 to 44 had a greater increase in mortality compared with those aged 45 to 54 (average annual percentage change [AAPC], 0.85). For early-stage tumors (4,026 deaths), mortality increased (AAPC, 12.37) in patients aged 45 to 54. In those aged 20 to 44, the sample was insufficient for analysis. Mortality increased for late-stage tumors (37,875 deaths) in both cohorts: 45 to 54 (AAPC, 11.17) and 20 to 44 (AAPC, 13.87).