Not-so-silver screen.

The USPSTF recently lowered the recommended age to initiate colorectal cancer (CRC) screening from 50 to 45 years. This longitudinal, population-based study from British Columbia highlights the major changes that are taking place in CRC epidemiology. Between ages 20 and 49, there was a steadily increasing incidence of CRC, which jumped abruptly between ages 49 and 50. That jump means there was an excess of preclinical CRC leading up to the screening age that were not prevented by later screening. There was also an alarming acceleration of CRC incidence in both men and women in their 30’s with a nearly 3% annual increase in incidence, respectively, during that decade. So don’t be surprised if colorectal cancer awareness and screening become important issues for younger generations. | Howren, J Natl Cancer Inst 2021