Even more colorectal cancer cases are being found in adults under 50, and a new collection of research suggests that a surge in screening may be tied to many of the more recent diagnoses – but not the overall trend.

The ACS in 2018 started recommending that people with average risk as young as 45 years old get screened for colorectal cancer, down from the previous start of age 50. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force followed in 2021; their guidelines carry particular weight among primary-care providers and often lead to health-insurance coverage.

An investigation by the American Cancer Society (ACS) found that after a stable 15-year trend, diagnoses of local-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) rose steeply in adults aged 45 to 49 years old.

As more people aged 45-49 are getting screened for colon cancer, more early stage diagnoses are being made, according to new research from the American Cancer Society.