Scientists Discover Why Colon Cancer Diagnoses are Increasing in Young Adults
Researchers have found that people under 50 who develop colorectal cancer have unusually rigid colon tissue that helps tumors grow, offering the first clear explanation for rising cancer rates in younger adults. A University of Texas at Dallas team working with UT Southwestern Medical Center discovered that both tumor samples and surrounding healthy tissue were mechanically stiffer in younger patients than in older people with the same disease. Physical tissue properties appear to drive early-onset colorectal cancer, which has become the top cancer killer among Americans under 50. UT Dallas bioengineering Assistant Professor Jacopo Ferruzzi says this marks the first study showing how mechanical forces contribute to…

