Rectal cancer rates are rising in U.S., driving an increase in illness in younger adults

Rectal cancer rates are rising in U.S., driving an increase in illness in younger adults Rectal cancers now account for nearly one-third of all colorectal cancer diagnoses. Federal cancer screening guidelines recommend that people with an average risk for colorectal cancer begin screening at age 45. Vadym Terelyuk / Getty Images / iStockphoto Share Add NBC News to Google March 2, 2026, 3:39 PM EST By Erika Edwards Listen to this article with a free account 00:00 00:00 A rise in rectal cancer rates is driving an increase in colorectal cancer diagnoses in people younger than 65, according to a report published Monday from the American Cancer Society. Colorectal cancer rates in people under 65 are surging, with nearly half (45%) of new diagnoses occurring in this age group, up from 27% in 1995. At the same time, colorectal cancer rates are falling in people 65 and older. Rectal cancers on their own, however, are rising in all adults, and now account for nearly one-third of all colorectal cancer diagnoses, up from 27% in the mid-2000s, the report found. Between 2018 and 2022, rectal cancer diagnoses rose by 1% each year in all age groups. Researchers don’t understand why this particular type of cancer is increasing in prevalence. “We didn’t have an epidemic of young people with colon or rectal cancer up until recently,” said Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer for the American Cancer Society. “It’s really a phenomenon in the last five years or so that we’ve started to see this.” The report found that colorectal cancer rates since the late 1990s: Increased by 3% each year for people ages 20 to 49 Increased by 0.4% each year for adults ages 50 to 64 Decreased by 2.5% each year for adults 65 and older. The shift toward younger adults with colorectal cancer is prompting doctors to urge earlier education about the disease that, for generations, was considered something that only occurred in older age. “We know young patients are presenting with signs and symptoms, and that...