ReviewCureus2026
Epidemiology of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Incidence, Temporal Trends, and Associated Factors.
Review in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
17 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) refers to colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosed in adults younger than 50 years. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate EOCRC incidence, evaluate temporal trends from 1990 to 2021, identify factors associated with increased EOCRC risk, and project the anticipated burden through 2030. PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched from inception through December 31, 2025. Population-based registry studies, cohort studies, and case-control studies reporting EOCRC incidence, temporal trends, or associated factors were included. The protocol was prospectively registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD420261345410). Two reviewers independently screened records, extracted data, and assessed study quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework for the primary incidence estimate and the leading modifiable associated factors. Incidence rates and adjusted association estimates were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis, with analyses stratified by study design where appropriate. Prespecified subgroups included geographic region, sex, tumor subsite, Human Development Index stratum, calendar period, and age group; temporal trends were examined using meta-regression. Fifty-two studies from 52 countries were included. The pooled incidence showed substantial geographic variation, with the highest rates in Australasia and North America and the lowest rates in sub-Saharan Africa. Incidence increased significantly over time, with the Western Pacific showing the fastest rise. Rectal cancer increased more steeply than colon cancer. Family history of CRC and inflammatory bowel disease showed the strongest non-modifiable associations. Among modifiable exposures, sugar-sweetened beverages, processed meat consumption, obesity, Western dietary pattern, smoking, and alcohol use were associated with higher EOCRC odds. On current trajectories, EOCRC is projected to represent a growing share of CRC diagnoses by 2030. EOCRC is increasing across diverse geographic settings. These findings support clinical vigilance for alarm symptoms in younger adults, risk-stratified prevention, and public health strategies targeting modifiable lifestyle exposures.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.