Extracted from the WaPo (mea culpa - forgive me) "the Daily 202"

COLON CANCER IS ON THE RISE IN YOUNG PEOPLE Colorectal cancer diagnoses have been declining among people older than 50. But they’re rising in young people; about 13 percent of those diagnosed in 2023 are expected to be people under 50. That’s a 9 percent increase in cases in that age group since 2020 — and the cancers diagnosed in younger people are becoming more aggressive.

Daryl M. of Lafayette, La., pointed us toward a New York Times article on the issue. This is the third most common cancer diagnosed in the United States, and the risk of getting it increases with age. Experts recommend that you start getting screened for colorectal cancer at age 45 (unless you have a family history of the disease or early warning signs, which you can read more about in the article.)

According to the American Cancer Society study, four in 10 Americans 45 and older were not up to date on their screenings as of 2021, and only 20 percent of those between 45 and 49 were up-to-date.

The politics: What role might the government and, in particular, state and federal health agencies play in addressing this issue? Public awareness campaigns? More research funding?