Deaths from one type of cancer are surging among younger adults without college degrees

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Colorectal cancer, once considered a disease of older age, is becoming a crisis for younger adults.New research shows one group getting hit the hardest – those without a college degree.

A recent study from the American Cancer Society analyzed data from over 101,000 adults aged 25 to 49 who died fromcolorectal cancerbetween 1994 and 2023.

While death rates remained stable for college graduates, they climbed significantly for those without a bachelor’s degree, the findings showed.

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For young adults with ahigh school educationor less, the mortality rate rose from 4.0 to 5.2 per 100,000 people, while the rate for those with at least a bachelor’s degree stayed flat, at approximately 2.7 per 100,000.

This does not mean that a degree offers some kind of biological protection, researchers cautioned.

Woman holding abdomen appearing to have menstrual pain

Colorectal cancer, once considered a disease of older age, is becoming a crisis for younger adults.(iStock)

The difference is likely driven by the conditions in which people live and work, which often correlate with education levels, the researchers noted.

including obesity, physical inactivity, smoking and diet, which are “known to be elevated among children and young adults with lower [socioeconomic status].”

Because the study relied on death certificates, researchers couldn’t say exactly why college graduates hadbetter outcomes.

Young woman at doctor

Because the researchers didn’t have the patients’ actual medical records, they couldn’t see things like frequency of screenings or treatment options, which would impact survival outcomes.(iStock)

Certificates typically list the cause of death, age, race and education level, but they do not include a person’s fullmedical history.

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Because the researchers didn’t have the patients’ actual medical records, they couldn’t see things like frequency of screenings or treatment options, which would impact survival outcomes.

leading cause of cancer deathfor men under 50 and the second leading cause for women in the same age group, according to recent statistics.

Thumbnail split, hands of woman holding her stomach on left, graduation caps from the back on the right

While colorectal cancer death rates remained stable for college graduates, they climbed significantly for those without a bachelor’s degree, the findings showed.(iStock)

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Because the disease is highly treatable when caught early, the U.S.Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) lowered the recommended screening age from 50 to 45 in 2021.

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Common signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer can include a change inbowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation or narrowing of the stool, that lasts for more than a few days, according to the American Cancer Society.

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Other signs that warrant seeing a doctor include blood in the stool or a persistent feeling of needing to go to the bathroom but being unable to go.

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The research was published in JAMA Oncology.

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