Rectal Cancer Among People Younger Than 40

Only a small percentage of colorectal cancers occurs in patients younger than 40. To track the incidence in this age group, researchers analyzed Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data from 1973 through 2005 on 7661 patients who had been diagnosed with colon, rectal, or rectosigmoid cancer before 40.

The annual percentage increase in rectal cancer during this period was 2.6%. The increase, evident in all races and in both sexes, effectively began in 1984. During the 32-year period, colon cancer incidence declined by 0.2%.