Bowel Cancer in Young People Is Rising – Here's How to Reduce Your Risk

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in Australia, with more than 15,000 cases diagnosed annually. It's also the second most common cause of cancer-related death.

Recently, headlines have warned of an uptick in cases among younger adults, noting bowel cancer cases in people under 50 in Australia are among the highest in the world .

While this is very worrying, it's also important to note the rate of new cases of bowel cancer in Australia overall has actually been falling over the past 20 years or so . Most cases of bowel cancer still occur in adults over 50, and thanks to a national screening program in this age group, rates are declining.

So why are rates increasing in younger people, and what can we do to mitigate the risk?

National screening is working

Australia