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Rising rates of colorectal cancer found in nearly all age groups (opens in a new tab)

medicalxpress.com · 2026-10-27

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Short answer

Mostly not supported

Mostly not supported.

The claims we could check match the study, but some claims were not covered by the evidence reviewed.

1 supported
6 not covered

Checked against the study summary. The full text wasn't available, so some details couldn't be settled either way.

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The story

Rising rates of colorectal cancer found in nearly all age groups

medicalxpress.com · 2026-10-27

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Mostly not supported

The one claim we could check holds up. One of seven claims matches the study. This overall rating is based only on the claims we could check. Six claims the study doesn't address.

1 supported
6 not covered

Open claim evidence

The source study

Colorectal Cancer among U.S. Adults, 2000-2023.

NEJM Evidence · 2026

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7 claims in this story

Showing all 7 claimsChoose a verdict to focus the list.

Claim 1 of 7Not coveredA study published in NEJM Evidence found that colorectal cancer rates are rising across younger and older age groups.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The abstract supports an overall age-adjusted colorectal cancer incidence decrease from 2000 to 2022 followed by an apparent increase in 2023, but it does not provide age-stratified results. The headline claim that rates are rising across younger and older age groups therefore cannot be verified from the supplied abstract-level evidence and outruns what the abstract shows.

Study evidence

Age-adjusted colorectal cancer incidence decreased from 55.2 per 100,000 in 2000 to 36.7 per 100,000 in 2022, then increased to 38.3 per 100,000 in 2023.55.2 → 36.7 → 38.3 per 100,000 (with reported 95% CIs: 2000: 54.8–55.6; 2022: 36.4–37.0; 2023: 38.0–38.6).

“Using data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, we examined colorectal cancer incidence rates in the United States between 2000 and 2023.”

Claim 2 of 7Not coveredThe authors said rising incidence now extends beyond younger adults to nearly all age groups up to 65–69.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The abstract does not report age-specific trends or identify increases extending to nearly all age groups up to ages 65–69. It only reports selected overall age-adjusted rates and an apparent 2023 increase.

Study evidence

“Using data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, we examined colorectal cancer incidence rates in the United States between 2000 and 2023.”

Claim 3 of 7Not coveredThe sharpest increase was among 45–49-year-olds, with incidence increasing 12.76% annually from 2019 to 2023.View evidenceHide evidence

As stated12.76% annually

Why this verdict

The supplied abstract-level profile contains no 45–49 age-group result and no annual percent increase estimate of 12.76% from 2019 to 2023.

Study evidence

“Using data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, we examined colorectal cancer incidence rates in the United States between 2000 and 2023.”

Claim 4 of 7Not coveredThe authors said the increase in the 45–49 age group is likely driven by more screening after recommendations lowered the starting age from 50 to 45.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The abstract does not discuss screening recommendations, the lowering of the screening age from 50 to 45, or any causal interpretation that screening likely drove increases in ages 45–49. This causal explanation cannot be checked at the supplied evidence depth.

Study evidence

“Using data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, we examined colorectal cancer incidence rates in the United States between 2000 and 2023.”

Claim 5 of 7Not coveredThe researchers said excluding 2020–2021 data did not remove the increase, making COVID-19 disruptions unlikely to explain the rise seen in 2023.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The abstract does not describe excluding 2020–2021 data, sensitivity analyses, or COVID-19 screening disruptions. It only states that the apparent 2023 increase warrants additional surveillance and investigation.

Study evidence

“Using data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, we examined colorectal cancer incidence rates in the United States between 2000 and 2023.”

Claim 6 of 7Not coveredMurphy and colleagues are looking into environmental chemical exposures as a possible culprit behind the trend.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The supplied paper profile does not mention environmental chemical exposures or any specific suspected cause of the incidence trend. The abstract says only that the 2023 increase warrants further surveillance and investigation.

Study evidence

“Using data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, we examined colorectal cancer incidence rates in the United States between 2000 and 2023.”

Claim 7 of 7SupportedThe study found that the age-adjusted incidence rate fell from 55.2 per 100,000 in 2000 to 36.7 in 2022, then rose to 38.3 in 2023.View evidenceHide evidence

As stated55.2 per 100,000 to 36.7, then 38.3

Why this verdict

This matches the abstract-reported age-adjusted incidence rates: 55.2 per 100,000 in 2000, 36.7 in 2022, and 38.3 in 2023, with confidence intervals also reported in the profile.

Study evidence

“Using data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, we examined colorectal cancer incidence rates in the United States between 2000 and 2023.”

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Context layer

What the story left out

Important study details the story did not include.

The paper used SEER 21 registry data covering 45.8% of the U.S. population to assess colorectal cancer incidence trends from 2000 through 2023.
The story summary identifies the trend as U.S. colorectal cancer incidence but does not reflect the SEER 21 data source or the 45.8% population coverage limitation, which affects interpretation of national generalizability.
From Population-based registry surveillance (SEER 21)
The abstract does not provide full year-by-year trends, age-stratified data, or statistical tests for age-specific changes.
The story presents detailed age-group findings, annual percentage increases, screening explanations, COVID sensitivity analysis, and possible environmental causes, but these details are not available in the supplied abstract-level paper evidence. The story caveats mention uncertainty about risk factors, but not the abstract-level evidence limitation.
From Population-based registry surveillance (SEER 21)
The paper profile’s stated limitations include that only abstract text is available here and that representativeness beyond SEER 21 areas is not detailed.
The story caveats do not mention the registry coverage limitation or the lack of full methods and supplemental detail in the available abstract evidence.
From Population-based registry surveillance (SEER 21)

2 things the story did carry across

The abstract reports overall age-adjusted incidence rates of 55.2 per 100,000 in 2000, 36.7 in 2022, and 38.3 in 2023.
The paper characterizes the 2023 rise as an apparent increase and the first since SEER 21 inception, warranting additional surveillance and investigation.

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Pieces of work

Evidence read

study summary

Lead result

secondary data

1Lead resultsecondary dataQuantify U.S. colorectal cancer incidence trends from 2000–2023 using SEER 21 and describe the change over time, including the apparent increase in 2023.Population-based registry surveillance (SEER 21)Expand

In plain English

Population-level surveillance analysis of US colorectal cancer incidence using SEER 21 (2000–2023). Reports age-adjusted incidence rates per 100,000 (with 95% CIs) for 2000, 2022, and 2023 and highlights an apparent increase in 2023 — the first since SEER 21 inception — that the authors state warrants further surveillance and investigation.

Key findings

Age-adjusted colorectal cancer incidence decreased from 55.2 per 100,000 in 2000 to 36.7 per 100,000 in 2022, then increased to 38.3 per 100,000 in 2023.55.2 → 36.7 → 38.3 per 100,000 (with reported 95% CIs: 2000: 54.8–55.6; 2022: 36.4–37.0; 2023: 38.0–38.6).

“Using data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, we examined colorectal cancer incidence rates in the United States between 2000 and 2023.”

What this piece can’t prove