American Cancer Society data shows early-onset colorectal cancer is increasing while Latino adults remain less likely to be screened in time.
Colorectal cancer, once considered a disease of older age, has become one of the most urgent and least understood public health threats facing younger Americans. It is now the leading cause of cancer death among U.S. men under 50 and the second leading cause among women under 50, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). While overall cancer deaths in this age group have declined sharply over the past four decades, deaths from colorectal cancer continue to rise.
For Latino communities, the risk is compounded by a quieter but persistent gap: lower screening rates and later diagnoses, even as cases increase among younger adults.
A Disease Diagnosed Too Late
The ACS’s Cancer Facts & Figures for Hispanic/Latino People 2024–2026 report shows that in 2022, only about 62% of Hispanic adults were up to date on colorectal cancer screening, compared with roughly 75% among non-Hispanic White and Black adults. That gap matters. Colorectal cancer is highly treatable when caught early, but far more deadly when detected late.
Research cited by the ACS finds that nearly 60% of colorectal cancers in younger adults are diagnosed at regional or distant stages, often because symptoms — such as abdominal pain, anemia, or changes in bowel habits — are dismissed or misattributed to less serious conditions.
“Many people still believe colorectal cancer is an older person’s disease,” the ACS notes, even as incidence among adults under 50 has increased 2% to nearly 3% per year since the 1990s.
What the Data Shows for Latinos
Latino adults historically have had slightly lower overall incidence and mortality rates than non-Hispanic White adults. But those averages mask growing vulnerabilities:
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Later-stage diagnoses are more common among Latinos, in part due to delayed screening.
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Only 38% of Hispanic adults recognize that colorectal cancer often shows no symptoms until advanced stages, according to ACS survey data.
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Structural barriers — including limited access to primary care, lack of insurance, and inconsistent preventive care — continue to shape outcomes.
Dr. Karen Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society, has emphasized that screening gaps, not biology, drive many disparities. “When access improves, outcomes follow,” she said in recent ACS briefings.
Screening Earlier Can Save Lives
In response to rising early-onset cases, the ACS now recommends that average-risk adults begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45, earlier for those with a family history or other risk factors. Screening options include colonoscopy, stool-based tests, and other noninvasive methods.
Public health experts stress that expanding culturally responsive education and access — particularly through community clinics and trusted providers — is essential to closing the gap.
Colorectal cancer’s rise among younger adults is not inevitable. But without earlier screening and broader awareness, Latino communities risk being diagnosed too late — again — with consequences that are both preventable and profound.
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