Trends in colorectal cancer mortality among younger vs older adults in 49 countries

Increases in colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence among young adults were reported in 27 countries and territories worldwide, yet information on mortality trends is limited. Using the World Health Organization Mortality database (1990-2023), we found CRC mortality rates among younger adults (aged 25-49 years) increased in 18 of 49 countries (0.7%-4.3% per year) during the most recent decade, decreased in 15, and were otherwise stable. Trends ranged from decreases of more than 2% per year in Singapore, Belgium, and Denmark to increases of more than 3% per year in Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, and the United Kingdom. In half of the countries with increasing trends, rates in older adults (aged 50-79 years) were stable (Colombia, Philippines, Croatia [women only]) or decreasing (Uruguay, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, the United States, Argentina). In the remainder-primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean-mortality rose in both groups. Increasing CRC mortality among younger adults may signal a growing future burden, reinforcing the need for etiologic investigation and heightened awareness to avert deaths through earlier detection.