Study: Colon Cancer Affects 1 in 7 Patients Under 50

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More men and women under 50, the age at which doctors recommend screening, are being diagnosed with colon cancer–a new analysis shows, Time reports.

Colorectal cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer among Latino men in the U.S.

“Colon cancer has traditionally been thought of as a disease of the elderly, “said study lead author Dr. Samantha Hendren, an associate professor of surgery at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

The study shows 1 in 7 colon cancer patients is under 50, and “younger patients tend to be in more advanced stages of the disease. “

“This study is really a wake up call to the medical community that a relatively large number of colon cancers are occurring in people under 50,” Hendren said.