Rates of bowel cancer among Australians aged 20–29 have more than doubled, while diagnoses among 30–39-year-olds have tripled, as experts warn Australia is now facing a major early-onset GI cancer crisis.
The research was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, and shows over the past 10 years of available data, averaged across Australia, Canada, England and the US, the decade trend increase for early-onset bowel cancer was 3.7% per annum (3.2% among men and 4.3% among women), and 7% among young adults aged 20-39 (5.6% among men and 8.4% among women).
Bowel cancer is now the deadliest cancer for Australians aged 25-54.
But clinicians say the healthcare system is still largely designed for older cancer patients, leaving younger Australians to navigate treatment while juggling careers, mortgages, parenting, fertility concerns and financial pressure, often without appropriate support.
Researchers are now calling for urgent investment into GI Cancer Trials’ new Australian-led ORBIT trial, which aims to completely rethink cancer care for younger patients through more flexible, age-appropriate support including:
- Telehealth and after-hours appointments
- Fertility preservation access
- Genetic testing
- Mental health and psychosocial support
- Structured long-term survivorship care, which experts say barely exists for younger adults
June is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, Bowel Cancer Australia’s signature event to raise awareness of Australia’s second deadliest cancer.
https://www.bowelcanceraustralia.org/get-involved/campaigns/bowel-cancer-awareness-month
