Why are more and more young people getting bowel cancer?

The colon is also known as the large intestine. Colon cancer occurs when cancer cells develop in the lining of the colon. This disease usually occurs in older people. But in the past 20 years, colon cancer in people under 55 has been on the rise, according to the medical website News-Medical Net (UK).

Colonic microbiota impact colon cancer risk in young adults

In a recently published study, scientists at Georgetown University (USA) analyzed and compared bacteria in colon cancer tumors of young patients with those of older patients. Specifically, they compared 36 colon cancer patients under 45 years old with 27 patients over 65 years old.

The team found 917 types of bacteria and fungi in the tumors. Some bacteria and fungi, including Cladosporium, were more abundant in the intestines of young colon cancer patients. Cladosporium is a common cause of eye infections, sinusitis, and even encephalitis.

In addition, some other bacteria, such as Moraxella osloensis, which often cause disease in people with weak immune systems, are more present in the elderly patient group.

"There are trillions of microorganisms that reside in our bodies, including the gut. Some of these microorganisms are directly linked to the development of colon cancer. Therefore, we think that the gut microbiome may be an important factor in cancer development," said Dr. Benjamin Adam Weinberg, lead author of the study.

In fact, certain bacteria and fungi can disrupt the functioning of the colon lining. This can lead to the formation of cancerous tumors. Dr. Weinberg's team believes that identifying these bacteria and fungi could help determine whether a person is more likely to develop colon cancer at a young age or later in life.

Experts recommend that people in high-risk groups for colon cancer, such as those who drink a lot of alcohol... need to be tested to screen for the disease.

In addition, diet and environmental factors also affect the structure of the gut microbiota. Therefore, adjusting the diet and avoiding certain foods can help reduce the risk of colon cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, the rate of people under 55 with colon cancer nearly doubled from 11% to 20% between 1995 and 2019. Colon cancer is a cancer with a high survival rate if detected early.

However, many young people with the disease are not diagnosed until the disease has progressed. Experts recommend that people in high-risk groups for colon cancer, such as those with a family history of the disease, are overweight, obese, drink a lot of alcohol, are addicted to tobacco, or have chronic ulcerative colitis, should be tested to screen for the disease, according to News-Medical Net (UK).

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/vi-sao-ngay-cang-nhieu-nguoi-tre-bi-ung-thu-ruot-18523061600203624.htm