Janet Ogundepo
A rise in colorectal cancer, which mostly affects people, aged 50 and above, now occurs among children and young adults between the ages of 10 to 19, a recent research has revealed.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, also found that colorectal cancer increased to about 500 per cent and 333 per cent among children and teens, respectively.
According to the World Health Organisation, colorectal cancer that affects the large intestine (colon) or rectum, is the third most common cancer worldwide and is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.
The WHO noted that older persons, mostly those above the age of 59 are affected by colorectal cancer.
High intake of processed meats, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, smoking and excessive alcohol intake are lifestyle factors the WHO noted, contribute to the development of cancer.
PUNCH Healthwise, in several earlier interviews with researchers on paediatric cancer, reported that consumption of processed foods, environmental pollution, and tobacco and alcohol consumption were factors that increased cancer trends globally.
A researcher in Congenital Paediatric Oncology and Infections, Aminu Mohammed, who is also a Professor of Paediatric Surgery at the Bayero University, Kano State, had in the interview decried the increase in cancer cases among children and young adults in Nigeria.
He said, “Cancer cases in Nigeria have been on the rise. What we see in the last five to 10 years is far more than the number of cases we are seeing recently. It is not only restricted to patients between the ages of 25 and 49 years old, but even to younger age groups. I treat children with cancers and we are seeing a lot of them coming up with cancers.
“The ones that affect children and adults are on the rise and cancers that are normally known to occur in older persons are now more common and presenting in children and people younger than the normal age of those that have these cancers.”
Mohammed attributed the rise to increased consumption of refined foods, adding, “For example, in cases related to colon cancer, those who consume refined foods may not be passing stool every day or every other day. This is because refined foods do not have enough fibre to cause the colon to distend to enable them to feel the urge to pass stool. Constipation is now more common than before.”
Speaking on the study findings, the lead researcher and internal medicine resident physician at the University, Dr Islam Mohamed, said, “Colorectal cancer is no longer considered just a disease of the elderly population. It means that there is a trend. We don’t know what to make of it yet, it could be lifestyle factors or genetics, but there is a trend.”
The researchers further found that cases of colorectal cancer in people below 40 were still low while those under 30 remained rare.
Globally, about 18.1 million new cancer cases and almost 9.9 million cancer deaths occurred in 2020, data from the 2020 Global Cancer Observatory reports.
It also indicated that there were 124,815 new cancer cases in Nigeria, 78,899 deaths and 23, 3911 prevalent cases over five years.
In 2020, the American Cancer Society estimated that there were just 17,930 colorectal cancer cases in Americans under the age of 50.
Speaking on the study, an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, Vatche Tamar Manoukian, Division of Digestive Diseases, Dr Folasade May, expressed worry over the rise in the cases, however, they said the oldest age group in the study had the smallest percentage increase.
According to them, when starting with a very rare disease in 15-year-olds and a couple of cases are added, there will be a huge percentage increase.
Although the experts have not noted the source behind the unprecedented rise, they are exploring whether modern diets, antibiotics or fungal infections could be the cause.
According to the study, “Colorectal cancer normally begins as a small growth, called a polyp, on the inner lining of the colon or rectum — part of the large intestine. Over time, the cells in these polyps can start to divide uncontrollably, triggering the cancer.
“Early warning signs of the disease can include a change in bowel habits, blood in faeces, unexplained weight loss and sudden fatigue or weakness — brought on by blood loss,” the study stated.
Meanwhile, the oncologist noted that early detection, diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer would ensure nine in 10 patients live beyond five years after their diagnosis, but that late detection, reduces the five-year survival rate to 71 per cent.
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