Colon-cancer risk in young people linked to one amino acid, small study finds

Multi-colored fluorescent image showing three colon cancer cells in high-resolution under the microscope. The cells are pink blobs covered in yellow string-like structures. The cells are surrounded by patches of green against a blue background. .

Scientists have identified molecules in the blood that could potentially be used to identify young adults at risk of developing colorectal cancer and thus flag them for preemptive screening.

Colorectal cancer predominantly affects people over 50, but it's on the rise in younger people in the U.S. — in 1992, the diagnosis rate was 8.6 in 100,000 people under 50, but in 2018, it rose to 12.9 in 100,000.