Can people under 50 years of age get colon cancer?
• Yes, but people under 50 do not usually get colon cancer. In Manitoba, 93% of newly diagnosed colon cancer occurs in people over the age of 50. However, there are hereditary syndromes in which cancer can develop in young people. The first is Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP). The other inherited disorder is hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). Persons with a strong family history of colon cancer may have other unidentified genetic factors which contribute to the development of colon cancer. If you know someone in your family who has either FAP or HNPCC, talk to your doctor or nurse as you may be at increased risk.
