Scientists warn of alarming rise in rectal cancer deaths among younger people especially among the millennial generation. Log analysis and prediction using machine learning models by 2035, they revealed that rectal cancer deaths will rise two to three times faster compared to colon cancer alone. Experts warn that if the current trend is not addressed, the situation will continue to worsen, he writes.
The biggest problem in younger patients is late diagnosis and underestimation of warning signs. Symptoms such as rectal bleeding or changes in bowel movements, are often mistaken for less serious problems such as hemorrhoids.
The doctor and lead author of the study, Mythili Menon Pathiyil, emphasizes that it is necessary to change the overall approach of the professional and lay public and to catch the disease in its earlier stages. Current data show that due to incorrect evaluation of symptoms, it sometimes takes young people up to 7 months to get adequate treatment.
In addition to rectal cancer, scientists are also sounding the alarm in connection with the increasing incidence of anal cancer. Although up to 90% of this type of cancer is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), the fastest increase was surprisingly seen in women over 65 years of age. According to the researchers, this is partly because this age group was already beyond the recommended age for vaccination when the HPV vaccine became widely available.
Experts are appealing to the public not to ignore the key symptoms, which include dark or light red blood in the stool, persistent diarrhea or constipation, a feeling of incomplete emptying, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss or chronic fatigue. Although we cannot influence some risk factors such as family history or inflammatory bowel diseases, the risk of the disease can be significantly reduced by lifestyle modification.
The key to prevention is maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise, and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and, conversely, limiting processed meat, alcohol and smoking. In case of any suspected bleeding, an immediate visit to the doctor is necessary.
