Rising Colon Cancer Cases in Young and Old: Symptoms and Warnings.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Daily Mail
Colon cancer is becoming the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in people under 55, with nearly double the number of under-55s being diagnosed with the cancer now compared to a decade ago. Experts are investigating various risk factors for the rise, including antibiotic overuse, a fatty, highly processed Western diet, obesity, and fungal infections. Antibiotic overuse can lead to an imbalance in the microbiota, stripping the gut of protective bacteria and leading to the proliferation of cancer-promoting bacteria. A diet consisting largely of processed and/or red meats, sugars, and refined carbohydrates is a major risk factor for inflammation in the intestines, a precursor to cancer. Obesity and diabetes often go hand in hand, as the former greatly increases the risk of the latter, characterized by having too much glucose (sugar) circulating in the bloodstream. The link between fungi and cancer is tenuous, but new research has come out to support it.