In Ireland, over 2,500 people each year develop bowel (colorectal) cancer.
Of these people, 60% are diagnosed at late stage. Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in Ireland, giving rise to more than 1,000 deaths per year.
Bowel cancer has a 5-year survival rate of 90% in those with stage I disease and 12% in those with stage IV disease; hence survival is strongly influenced by stage at diagnosis.[1]
More than 8 out of every 10 (86%) cases of bowel cancer in Ireland happen in people aged 55 years and older. However, the proportion of bowel cancer cases being diagnosed in younger people, aged less than 50s, is rising. The NCRI database shows that the incidence of bowel cancer among those under 50 has almost doubled in just 25 years.[2,3]
1 in 5 diagnoses of colorectal cancer in Ireland is to someone under 60. [4]
1 in 10 diagnoses of colorectal cancer is to someone under 50.[5]
The #NoRegrets campaign, from the Marie Keating Foundation, launched in 2023 for April – Bowel Cancer Awareness month and focused primarily on the rise of Early Onset Colorectal Cancer. [6] The core message being, whatever you regret in life, don’t let it be that you didn’t get checked, persist, and listen to your body.
The continuing goal of this campaign is to increase awareness of Colorectal cancer signs and symptoms, increase screening uptake, educate the public and medical professionals, challenge perceptions and stigma, thus saving lives.
Visit www.mariekeating.ie for more information – #NoRegrets 2024 launches April 1st.
References:
[1] Rawla, P., T. Sunkara, and A. Barsouk, Epidemiology of colorectal cancer: incidence, mortality, survival, and risk factors. Prz Gastroenterol, 2019. 14(2): p. 89-103.
[2] Ireland, N.C.R., Cancer in Ireland 1994-2019: Annual report of the National Cancer Registry. NCRI, Cork, Ireland. National Cancer Registry Ireland (2021)
[3] Ireland, N.C.R., Cancer in Ireland 1994-2019: Annual report of the National Cancer Registry. NCRI, Cork, Ireland. National Cancer Registry Ireland (2021)
[4] According to the NCRI cancer trends report in 2022, 22% of bowel cancers diagnosed during 2014-2018 were diagnosed below 60. P15
https://www.ncri.ie/sites/ncri/files/pubs/Trendsreport_breast_cervical_colorectal_22092022.pdf
[5] O’Reilly M, Linehan A, Krstic A, Kolch W, Sheahan K, Winter DC, Mc Dermott R. Oncotherapeutic Strategies in Early Onset Colorectal Cancer. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Jan 16;15(2):552. doi: 10.3390/cancers15020552. PMID: 36672501; PMCID: PMC9856676.
