Risk factors at any age include obesity, lack of physical activity, a diet high in red or processed meat and low in fruits and vegetables, smoking, heavy alcohol use, having inflammatory bowel disease or a family history of colorectal cancer.
this post was submitted on 07 Apr 2026
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No one knows what’s causing the rise in cases in younger adults. But Georgetown’s Marshall said many young patients lack common risk factors. He wonders if changes in young people’s gut bacteria — the microbiome — might play a role.
Still no real answer to this question, then. The article lists risk factors but the younger people don't necessarily have them. Increasing exercise if you're sedentary might help. Speculation on my part feels wrong when people who have studied this for years are still speculating, themselves.
Speculation on my part feels wrong when people who have studied this for years are still speculating, themselves.
Then look outside the USA -this phenomenon is only in the USA and in Western Europe as the food quality enshittifies.
Not an issue in Africa, India and most of the East.
I've been betting it's the way american fast food chains re-use their oil, by cleaning it rather then throwing it out. https://comphemonc.com/2025/12/12/can-reusing-cooking-oil-increase-cancer-risk/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9177054/
This study I linked is pretty interesting, with how it goes over the different possibilities that have been studied. More useful than any random guess I throw out there. The bit in the original article where they said many younger patients lack common risk factors threw me for a loop when I was mentally already theorizing.