What question did this study set out to answer?

This research examines mortality trends of early-onset colorectal cancer and the influence of birth cohort in Mexico.

December 10, 2025

Abstract B020: Early-onset colorectal cancer mortality trends and birth cohort effect in Mexico, 1998-2023

Key Points

This research examines mortality trends of early-onset colorectal cancer and the influence of birth cohort in Mexico.
Analyzed deaths from colorectal cancer between 1998 and 2023 in Mexico using official statistics.
Stratified mortality data by age groups (20-49, 50-74) and sex.
Calculated average annual percent change in mortality rates using joinpoint regression.
Applied age-period-cohort models to assess the impact of different birth cohorts by sex.
In 2023, age-standardized colorectal cancer mortality rates were 2.1 per 100,000 in men and 1.7 in women.
Mortality rates for those aged 50-74 were significantly higher—21.6 for men and 15.1 for women.
The steepest increases in early-onset colorectal cancer mortality were observed in those aged 45-49.
Individuals born in the early 1980s faced a higher risk of mortality compared to those born in the early 1960s.

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: In high-income countries, there is an increasing incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer (eoCRC; diagnosis before age 50) with individuals born recently facing higher risks relative to those born in the 1960s. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), eoCRC remains largely uncharacterized. In Mexico, in the last two decades, colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality has rapidly increased, becoming the leading cause of cancer mortality. Understanding epidemiologic patterns of eoCRC in this population may provide insights for early diagnosis and help generate hypotheses on etiologic factors. Thus, we aimed to describe trends in eoCRC mortality by sex and birth cohort. Methods: We obtained deaths between 1998 and 2023 for CRC (ICD-10 codes C18. 0, C18. 2-18. 9, C19 95% CI: 2. 3, 4. 2 for men and 2. 0%; 95% CI: 1. 4, 2. 9 for women). The corresponding estimates for men and women 65-69 years were 1. 2% (95% CI: -1. 5, 2. 8) and -1. 4% (95% CI: -4. 7, 2. 6). Men born in 1979 were 1. 7 times (95% CI: 1. 6-1. 8) more likely to die of CRC, while women born in 1984 were 1. 6 times (95% CI: 1. 4-1. 8) more likely, compared to their counterparts born in 1959. Conclusions: While absolute risk of eoCRC remains low, mortality is steadily rising in Mexico. Individuals born in the early 1980s faced a higher CRC mortality relative to those born in the early 1960s. Mexico should strengthen early diagnosis. Individuals born more recently may have been exposed to risk factors that were not present in earlier generations. Citation Format: Priscilla Espinosa-Tamez, Fernando Macías-González, Liliana Gómez-Flores-Ramos, Martin Lajous. Early-onset colorectal cancer mortality trends and birth cohort effect in Mexico, 1998-2023 abstract. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: The Rise in Early-Onset Cancers—Knowledge Gaps and Research Opportunities; 2025 Dec 10-13; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2025;31 (23Suppl): Abstract nr B020.

Bookmark

Cite This Study

Espinosa-Tamez et al. (Wed,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69401d472d562116f28f85c1 https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1158/1557-3265.earlyonsetca25-b020

Bookmark