When most people think of cancer, they picture an illness that primarily affects seniors. But in recent years, a startling trend has emerged: colorectal cancer is striking younger adults with increasing frequency, challenging long-held assumptions about who is at risk. In Canada alone, an estimated 26,400 people were diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2025, accounting for about 10 percent of all new cancer cases and making it the fourth most common cancer in the country, according to Yahoo Canada. Tragically, the disease claims around 25 lives every day nationwide.
The impact of colorectal cancer has also been felt in the world of entertainment, underscoring its indiscriminate reach. On February 11, 2026, news broke that actor James Van Der Beek had died at age 48, just over a year after revealing his own colorectal cancer diagnosis. Earlier the same month, beloved Canadian actress Catherine O'Hara passed away at 71; her struggle with rectal cancer had remained private until her death. And, of course, many still remember Chadwick Boseman, who died at 43 in 2020, his battle with colorectal cancer shocking fans worldwide.
Such high-profile losses have brought renewed attention to the disease, especially as cases among younger adults continue to rise. Advocates across Canada are now urging health authorities to lower the recommended age for colorectal cancer screening from 50 to 45, hoping to catch more cases before they become life-threatening. Currently, most Canadians begin regular screenings at age 50, repeating the process every two years. But for some, that might be too late.
Barry Stein, president and CEO of Colorectal Cancer Canada, knows firsthand how devastating a late diagnosis can be. Back in 1995, while juggling a demanding legal career, Stein noticed troubling symptoms: blood in his stool, migraines, abdominal pain, and nausea. At 41, cancer was the last thing on his mind. "I was turning 41 at the time and had no idea what cancer even was," Stein recalled in an interview with Yahoo Canada. "People didn't say that word so much in 1995, let alone colorectal cancer. These were symptoms that came and went, so I ignored them."
Stein's decision to seek medical advice came only after his symptoms persisted. A fecal occult blood test and subsequent colonoscopies revealed the grim truth: stage four colorectal cancer, already spread to his liver and lungs. His story is a cautionary tale, but Stein is quick to point out that many cases could be prevented or caught early with greater awareness and timely screening.
So what should people watch for? Stein and Colorectal Cancer Canada offer several key pieces of advice. First, never ignore unexplained changes in bowel habits, blood in the stool, persistent abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, or fatigue. While these symptoms can be linked to other gastrointestinal conditions, such as ulcers or Crohn's disease, they are always worth discussing with a doctor. "Just because you have these symptoms doesn't mean you have colon cancer," Stein noted, "but they are a reason to be checked out."
Regular screening is another crucial tool in the fight against colorectal cancer. The disease often develops from precancerous polyps in the colon or rectum, and early detection allows for their removal before they become malignant. Despite the proven benefits, Canada's national screening participation rate remains below the 60 percent target set by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. Still, for those over 50 who do get screened, the guidelines have led to a reduction in cancer rates, saving countless lives.
But what about those under 50? This is where the current guidelines fall short, as younger adults—especially those with a family history of colorectal cancer—are often diagnosed at a later stage. Many doctors, like those who dismissed Kirsten Scheller's symptoms, may not suspect cancer in young, otherwise healthy patients.
Scheller's story, as reported by Business Insider, is a powerful reminder of the dangers of such assumptions. At just 19, while a college sophomore in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Scheller began noticing blood in her stool, along with bloating and fatigue. "Being in college and being a woman, I didn't really think much about those symptoms," she said. She was active, healthy, and had no family history of cancer. But as her symptoms worsened over two years, she visited doctor after doctor, only to be told she was too young for colon cancer. "I was sent home and told to come back if it continues to happen," she recalled. "And of course, it just continued to happen."
It wasn't until she was 22, just a month before college graduation, that a flexible sigmoidoscopy revealed a large tumor. Surgery soon followed, removing a foot of her colon and 24 lymph nodes. The diagnosis: stage 3 colon cancer. Her doctor later told her that waiting just a few more months could have meant a stage 4 diagnosis. "Knowing how much worse it could have been just hit even harder," Scheller said.
Scheller underwent nine months of intensive chemotherapy, enduring the physical and emotional toll of treatment. She experienced full menopause from Lupron injections to preserve her fertility, and severe neuropathy that required years of physical therapy and acupuncture. Socially, she felt isolated as friends drifted away, unsure how to support someone their age facing advanced cancer. "That was the hardest part, this grief of losing friendships while I had to grow up extremely quickly and just not know what the next week was going to look like," she shared.
By the end of 2012, Scheller was cancer-free and remains in remission as of 2026. Due to a genetic mutation that causes her to develop precancerous polyps rapidly, she now undergoes screenings every 9 to 12 months. She has since built a life in Minneapolis, working at Medtronic, training for a half-marathon, and planning a 100-mile hike in Europe. Grateful for her health, she uses her experience to advocate for early-onset colon cancer awareness, urging others to push for thorough screenings and not settle for less comprehensive procedures like flexible sigmoidoscopy. "Now, we're actually talking about it," she observed, noting that social media has helped break the stigma around discussing symptoms like bloody stools.
Prevention, Stein emphasizes, is far simpler than the ordeal of treatment. "It's so much easier to prevent something (than to treat it)," he said. Early screening can be as simple as using a take-home kit, and if results are positive, a colonoscopy can locate and remove polyps before they become cancerous. "If there is a polyp, they remove it and you catch the cancer early. Otherwise, you go through what I went through, which is quite challenging, to say the least. And at worst, people die."
Both Stein and Scheller highlight additional steps to lower risk: eat a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; limit processed meats, red meat, alcohol, sugary drinks, and highly processed foods; stay physically active; and be aware of your family history. Genetic syndromes like Lynch syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) can greatly increase risk, making early and frequent screening even more critical.
As the number of young people diagnosed with colorectal cancer climbs, the call for earlier screenings grows louder. The stories of survivors and those lost remind us that colorectal cancer is not just an "old person's disease"—and that vigilance, awareness, and advocacy can make all the difference.