It's Been a Minute The cancer quietly killing young people
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Sep 24, 2025 Dr. Kimmie Ng, co-director at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, focuses on the alarming rise of colorectal cancer in young people. She discusses environmental factors and lifestyle influences potentially contributing to this trend. The conversation dives into the cultural shame surrounding bowel health, which hinders open dialogue and timely diagnoses. Laurie Abraham shares her personal struggles with the stigma attached to colon cancer, emphasizing the need for increased funding and awareness. They advocate for breaking this taboo through candid conversations and better education.
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Rising Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer
- Colorectal cancer rates are rising notably in younger people and may become the leading cause of cancer death for younger women and men soon.
- Dr. Kimmie Ng links this to a complex, likely environmental birth-cohort effect rather than just lifestyle alone.
Environment Likely Drives The Trend
- Researchers suspect environmental exposures like diet or novel pollutants may drive the rise in young-onset colorectal cancer.
- Dr. Kimmie Ng highlights microplastics and other unexplored factors as plausible contributors.
Embarrassment Shapes Patient Experience
- Laurie Abraham describes feeling embarrassed that people would imagine her "sitting on the toilet" when she said she had colon cancer.
- She explores how cultural aversion to scatological language shapes reactions and messaging.