Colorectal cancer has become the leading cause of cancer death for Americans under 50, according to new American Cancer Society analysis. Becca Lynch, a 29-year-old cybersecurity professional from Denver, was diagnosed with stage 3B colon cancer last year after initially dismissing symptoms as stress-related.

Around 75% of young patients already have advanced disease at diagnosis because they skip screenings and minimize symptoms. Many mistake rectal bleeding for hemorrhoids, a common but dangerous misdiagnosis. Rebecca Siegel, lead author of the analysis, urges anyone with persistent rectal bleeding to see a doctor immediately.

While colorectal cancer rates decline by over 2% annually for those over 65, cases among younger people have jumped from the fifth to the first leading cause since the 1990s. Experts suspect changes in food supply, including processed foods and microplastics, may contribute to what's called the "birth cohort effect" - where each generation faces higher risk than the last.