The Alarming Rise of Colorectal Cancer in Young Adults
Participants attend a public health event aimed to raise awareness about the rise in young adult colorectal cancer cases on the National Mall on March 01, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Fight Colorectal Cancer)
Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related death for Americans under 50. And, for people in their 20s and 30s, the rate of incidences is expected to increase 90% by 2030. We explore what’s causing this alarming trend, the warning symptoms everyone should know, and what’s being done to improve treatment, advance research, and advocate for patients nationwide.
Guests:
- Dr. Chloe Atreya, medical oncologist, UCSF; co-director, UCSF Young Onset Colorectal Cancer Center
- Molly Roberts, vice president of advocacy, Fight Colorectal Cancer!
- Amanda Webb, colorectal cancer survivor and advocate