The Current The earlier the better: Doctors want younger screening for colon cancer
Mar 18, 2026
Miranda Fidler-Benaoudia, an epidemiologist researching rising cancers in young people, and Dr. Shadi Ashamalla, a colorectal surgical oncologist who founded a young-adult clinic, discuss alarming increases in early-onset colorectal cancer. They talk about trends by birth cohort, clinical needs of younger patients, possible environmental and lifestyle drivers, calls to lower screening age, and the challenges for research and health systems.
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Patient Story Shows Cost Of Delayed Diagnosis
- Steve Slack was diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer at 48 after symptoms were initially dismissed by his doctor.
- He underwent surgery, chemotherapy and a liver transplant and now has clear scans, highlighting delays' life-changing consequences.
Younger Generations Face Higher Colorectal Risk
- Canadians born after 1980 are 2.5 times more likely to get colorectal cancer before 50, prompting calls to lower screening age to 45.
- Dr. Shadi Ashmala notes screening at 50 created an inflection where rates fell, so shifting earlier should mirror that decline.
Dedicated Clinic For Young Colorectal Patients
- Sunnybrook created a dedicated clinic for younger colorectal patients because typical clinics lacked services like fertility and family planning.
- Dr. Shadi Ashmala saw growing numbers of young patients and formalized multidisciplinary care to meet unique needs.