Abstract A075: Trends in colorectal cancer mortality among individuals aged 50 or less in the United States, 2012-2021

Abstract Background/Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men under 50 years of age and the second leading cause among women in the same age group in the United States. CRC mortality has increased over the past 10 years among younger men and women. The purpose of this study is to assess the mortality rates of this cancer according to age group and sex from 2012-2021. Methods: We obtained data from CDC WONDER (CDC Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research) database to conduct a retrospective observational analysis of colorectal mortality rates. Data encompassed multiple years (2012-2021), allowing for trend analysis and exploration of demographic factors (age group and sex). Results: Trends in CRC mortality rates varied by age group and sex. The highest rates were observed among middle-aged males aged 45-49 years in 2017 (11.5), 2018 (11.6), and 2019 (11.5) per 100,000 population. For females, the highest rates were recorded in 2014 (8.4), in 2018 (8.3) and in 2021 (8.1). From 2012 to 2021, CRC rate increased by 31.3% for males aged 40-44 years, followed by 17.9% for males aged 35-39 years. Additionally, rates among females increased in the same age categories by 23.1% and 13.6% respectively. Conclusion: More individuals aged 50 years or less have died from CRC in the past decade. There is a need to implement public health interventions to improve CRC screening in this group, especially younger men. Citation Format: Michael R. Koko. Trends in colorectal cancer mortality among individuals aged 50 or less in the United States, 2012-2021 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 18th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities; 2025 Sep 18-21; Baltimore, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2025;34(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A075.