The colorectal cancer statistics for 2026 are projected to be about 155,000 new cases in the US and 50,000 deaths. It will remain the second leading cause of cancer death. With an alarming rise in those under 50, young adults, typically due to lifestyle factors.
Which raises the question, why aren’t more people getting screened for colon cancer?
Statistics from the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable and the American Cancer Society.
Statistics for 2026 are estimated to be just over 154,000 new cases.
It is projected there will be 52,000 deaths from colorectal cancer. This makes it the second deadliest cancer.
About 1 in every 26 women will develop colon cancer, and about 1 in 24 men.
For men and women in the US, 1.54 million have a history of colorectal cancer.
Cases in young adults are increasing by 2% every year. For young men (under 50), it’s the leading cause of cancer deaths and second for young women.
The rise in colon cancer is based on multiple factors, poor diet, processed food, smoking, excess weight, inactivity, and high alcohol use.
GI cancers in people under 50, such as colorectal, esophageal, pancreatic, and others, are rising at an alarming rate.
According to the findings by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute,
“These alarming rises apply not just to colorectal cancer, but also to pancreatic cancer, esophageal and stomach cancers, as well as rarer gastrointestinal cancers of the appendix, biliary cancer, and neuroendocrine tumors.”
“One of the best things you can do for your health is to stop smoking,” said co-first author Sara Char, MD, a medical oncology fellow at Dana-Farber. “Reducing alcohol use and incorporating lifestyle changes such as getting regular excise and minimizing processed foods are also positive choices.”
Conditions such as fatty liver disease, diabetes, and acid reflux also can increase the risk of different gastrointestinal cancers. “It is important for patients to stay up to date with primary care and to be actively engaged in preventive medicine related to these and other risk factors,” said Char.
“Lifestyle factors such as obesity, a Western-pattern diet including a lot of processed foods, and a sedentary lifestyle are likely contributing to a lot of early onset cases,” said co-first author Catherine O’Connor, a medical student at Harvard Medical.
Preventative screening and testing help detect diseases and conditions in their early and most treatable stages. For more information or to make an appointment, contact Gastroenterology Consultants of Central Florida.