Scientists Reveal Hidden Trigger Behind Rising Colon Cancer in Young Adults
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- New research from UT Southwestern finds that colon tissue stiffness from chronic inflammation could explain the sharp rise in colon cancer among younger adults.
- Scientists have discovered that chronic inflammation and buildup of scar tissue in the colon may trigger early-onset colon cancer, increasingly common among people under 50.
- Rising colon cancer cases in younger patients may be linked to lifestyle-induced inflammation that makes colon tissue harder and more prone to dangerous cell mutations.
Colon cancer is increasingly being diagnosed in younger adults, and researchers now believe the rise may be linked to overlooked changes in the colon.
According to a report by Daily Mail, scientists at UT Southwestern have examined tissue samples from 33 colon cancer patients, including several under the age of 50. They discovered that in younger patients, the colon tends to become unusually stiff and rigid.
This hardening of colon tissue accelerates cell growth and heightens the risk of dangerous mutations. It may also lead to the formation of scar tissue, which further stimulates abnormal cell proliferation.
Researchers noted that this tissue stiffening is caused by chronic inflammation, which alters collagen—the main structural protein in the colon—making the tissue less elastic.
While the exact cause of this chronic inflammation remains unclear, previous studies have associated it with unhealthy diets, smoking, lack of sleep, and certain long-term gastrointestinal conditions.
The research team analyzed cancerous tumor samples from the 33 participants and the surrounding healthy cells. They found that cells multiply more rapidly in stiffer, denser hydrogels. Although the root of this inflammation is not fully understood, scientists suspect lifestyle factors and environmental exposure play significant roles.
“Epidemiological studies indicate that lifestyle and environmental exposure can lead to chronic inflammation, which is known to cause tissue fibrosis (tissue stiffness),” the researchers stated in their report.
Conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can also trigger chronic inflammation. People with IBD are up to three times more likely to develop colon cancer compared to the general population.
Although colon cancer has traditionally affected adults over the age of 50, recent data shows a 50 percent increase among younger adults over the past three decades.
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