Mayo Clinic Arizona: Early Onset Colon Cancer Clinic

March is colon cancer awareness month. Mayo Clinic Arizona has one of the only early-onset colon cancer clinics in the country.

The clinic follows a trend of younger patients being diagnosed with colon cancer, targeting those diagnosed before 55.

A new report by the Journal of the American Medical Association shows colon cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among young adults.

Dr. Jewel Samadder, director of the clinic, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss symptoms to watch out for and the latest treatment options.

“March is colon cancer screening month,” Dr. Samadder said, “…colorectal cancer, you know, this used to be the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death and young people…we’ve seen a tick up…the number one cause of cancer-related death in men and women in the United States.”

According to Dr. Samadder, young-onset colorectal cancer occurs in anyone under the age of 50. This is not uncommon anymore, as there are roughly 20,000 cases across the United States, and many do not know why the numbers have increased.

“People born in the 1990s have a five-fold elevated risk of developing colorectal cancer compared to people born in the 1960s,” Dr. Samadder discussed, “…something has changed over that 30 or 40 year span of time…obesity, homrone exposure, pesticides, antiboitics, processed meants…these are all environmental…viable things that have changed in our diet and our lifestyle.”

Westernization has also played a crucial role, as Dr. Samadder explained that fast food and processed meats have grown much more popular today, compared to people growing up in the 60s and 70s.

“If one of your viewers today is young in their 30s, and 40s, but is starting to have symptoms,” Dr. Samadder said, “…they need to really push on their primary care doctor to have those symptoms investigated.”