Study: colorectal cancer in teens is rare but often advanced and aggressive at diagnosis
A new, not yet peer-reviewed US study of 84 patients aged 21 and under found most colorectal cancers were diagnosed at stage 3 or 4, and 45% of patients died. Researchers urge doctors to take symptoms seriously and are still investigating the causes.
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The story, neutrally told
MixedA new study of 84 US patients aged 21 or younger who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer found that the disease is usually advanced and aggressive by the time it is found. NBC NewsLC “a new study found that most cases of colorectal cancer in kids and teenagers are aggressive, and often diagnosed at advanced stages.” Read at NBC News ↗ New York PostR “Researchers looked at 84 patients aged 21 years old or younger diagnosed with colorectal cancer.” Read at New York Post ↗ LeftAccording to NBC News, the team led by Dr. Danielle Cameron of Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute covered diagnoses from 2012 through 2023, and the findings will be presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics' national conference in San Diego; they have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. NBC NewsLC “The research will be presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics’ national conference in San Diego on Saturday. It has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.” Read at NBC News ↗ MixedAbout 80% of patients were diagnosed at stage 3 or 4; the New York Post reports that more than half were at stage 3 (local spread) and 29% at stage 4 (distant spread). NBC NewsLC “Most of the young people in the study, 80%, weren’t diagnosed until their cancer had reached Stage 3 or Stage 4” Read at NBC News ↗ New York PostR “more than half had reached stage 3 — meaning the cancer had spread locally — and 29% stage 4” Read at New York Post ↗
MixedThe cancer returned in about 37% of patients, and 45% died; the outlets give the median age as 16 (NBC) and 16.5 (New York Post). NBC NewsLC “about 37% of the patients’ cancer returned and 45% of the patients died.” Read at NBC News ↗ New York PostR “In total, 38 (45.2%) patients died from colorectal cancer.”“The median age of patients studied was just 16.5 years old.” Read at New York Post ↗ MixedDiagnosis is hard because symptoms are vague and overlap with common conditions, and young people are decades from routine colonoscopy screening. NBC NewsLC ““the symptoms they are presenting with are vague.”” Read at NBC News ↗ New York PostR “Many symptoms also overlap with less serious conditions like hemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome.” Read at New York Post ↗ LeftIn the study, about 74% reported back or abdominal pain, about 45% changes in bowel habits, a similar share unexplained weight loss, and about 32% rectal bleeding. NBC NewsLC “about 74% of people reported back or abdominal pain, and about 45% reported changes in bowel habits.” Read at NBC News ↗
MixedResearchers and outside experts urge clinicians to take symptoms seriously; Dr. Christopher Lieu of the University of Colorado said doctors should consider colorectal cancer if common causes are ruled out and symptoms do not improve. NBC NewsLC “If a doctor has ruled out more common issues such as irritable bowel syndrome and things aren’t improving in the short term, doctors should consider ruling out colorectal cancer” Read at NBC News ↗ New York PostR “The study authors urge medical providers to treat symptoms seriously in younger patients, especially unexplained weight loss and rectal bleeding” Read at New York Post ↗ MixedCases in people under 21 remain very rare, which NBC puts at fewer than 100 a year in the US, but both outlets say rates are rising; the New York Post cites fivefold growth among ages 10 to 14 over two decades. NBC NewsLC “account for fewer than 100 cases per year in the United States.” Read at NBC News ↗ New York PostR “colorectal cancers have exploded fivefold among children ages 10 to 14, more than tripled among teens aged 15 to 19” Read at New York Post ↗ MixedThe cause is unknown: NBC quotes experts pointing to childhood environmental exposures, ultraprocessed food and possible genetic predisposition (only about 20% had a family history), while the Post lists obesity, a Western diet, microplastics, pesticides, antibiotics and infections. NBC NewsLC “She suspects that it likely has to do with DNA changes brought on by environmental exposures during childhood.” Read at NBC News ↗ New York PostR “They believe it’s a combination of obesity, a Western diet (processed, red meat and sugar), environmental exposures like microplastics” Read at New York Post ↗
LeftNBC also profiles Jo Henderson, diagnosed at 17 after months of symptoms, whose cancer had spread to her ovaries; after surgery and five months of chemotherapy, an August colonoscopy showed no cancer. NBC NewsLC “By the time her cancer was found, it had spread to her ovaries.”“A colonoscopy in August showed no signs of cancer.” Read at NBC News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- A human-centred health feature led by a patient's story, stressing rarity alongside the study's findings and expert caution.
- Emphasis
- Rarity of cases, diagnostic difficulty, expert quotes, uncertain causes (ultraprocessed food, genetics, exposures) and the peer-review status.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not give population-level growth rates by age band as the Post does.
- Charged language
- “the million-dollar question”
- For example
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“Cameron stressed that cases in adolescents and very young adults are “still very, very rare.”” — NBC News
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- A service-style piece stressing rising rates and a symptom checklist for readers.
- Emphasis
- Steep growth figures, deaths and recurrence, symptoms, survival odds with early detection, and lifestyle and environmental suspects.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not say the study is unpublished or note how rare the cases are in absolute terms; quotes no named outside experts.
- Charged language
- “exploded”
- For example
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“Over the past two decades, colorectal cancers have exploded fivefold among children ages 10 to 14” — New York Post
What every side reports
- The study covered 84 patients aged 21 or younger with colorectal cancer.
- Most were diagnosed at stage 3 or 4.
- About 37% had a recurrence and about 45% died.
- Symptoms are often vague and overlap with common conditions, and delays are common.
- The causes of the rise are not established.
Where accounts differ
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Median age of patients in the study
- Left
- NBC says the median age was 16.
- Right
- The New York Post says it was 16.5.
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How much rates are rising
- Left
- NBC says cases are very rare and experts only anecdotally see rates beginning to tick up.
- Right
- The New York Post says rates have 'exploded' fivefold among ages 10 to 14 over two decades.
Left1 article
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When teens get colorectal cancer, it’s often an aggressive form of the disease
Sympathetic Patient-led explainer that balances alarming outcomes with emphasis on how rare the cases are.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right2 articles
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Colorectal cancer rates are rising among teens, new study finds — the 4 most common symptoms
Alarmist Leads on rising rates and lists symptoms and risk factors, with stronger language about growth.
- 2 Oct 14:00 First NBC NewsLC When teens get colorectal cancer, it’s often an aggressive form of the disease
- 2 Oct 14:03 +3m Daily MailR Experts raise alarm over rising colon cancer in teenagers - disease is 'usually aggressive' and kills half of patients
- 2 Oct 15:02 +1h 2m New York PostR Colorectal cancer rates are rising among teens, new study finds — the 4 most common symptoms
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.