There will be over 150,000 new colorectal cancer diagnoses this year - and it’s impacting more young people

There will be over 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancer in 2026, while more young people are being impacted by the disease each year, experts have warned.

“Colorectal cancer is rising in younger adults for reasons we don’t yet fully understand, but the main reason it has become the leading cause of cancer death for Americans under 50 is more related to delayed diagnosis,” said Dr. Sheetal Kircher, associate professor of hematology and oncology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and a Northwestern Medicine oncologist.

The untimely passing of 48-year-old Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek, who died Wednesday following a diagnosis of stage 3 colorectal cancer in 2023, has spotlighted the devastating illness, particularly in Americans under 50.

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Source: The Independent, 12 February 2026