14 publishers · first seen Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00 UTC · updated Fri, 30 Oct 2026 13:14 UTC
Colorectal cancer rates in the United States have increased for the first time in 20 years, with rising incidence across all age groups under 70, according to a new report published in NEJM Evidence. The data, drawn from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, show 38.3 cases per 100,000 Americans in 2023, up from 36.7 per 100,000 in 2022.
The largest increase was in the 45- to 49-year-old group, with cases rising about 13% per year from 2019 to 2023, while rates also increased in those aged 65 to 69 and plateaued in those 70 to 74. Researchers, including lead author Caitlin Murphy of the University of Chicago, say the rise may be linked to a birth cohort effect, with people born during and after the 1960s at higher risk, though lifestyle factors and changes in screening may also contribute.
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