Colorectal cancer (CRC) is preventable when detected early. Because of effective screening, fewer Americans aged 50 and older are now being diagnosed with CRC or dying from it. Over the past 20 years, however, the number of Americans under age 50 who are diagnosed with CRC has doubled. Health experts estimate that the numbers of younger Americans with CRC will continue to increase rapidly over the next 10 years. The reasons for this increase are poorly understood. In addition, younger people are less likely to be diagnosed with CRC when the disease is still at an early stage. Also, of concern is that among men and women of all ages and all races, African-American men are the most likely to die of CRC.
Central hypotheses were: (1) Patients residing in hotspots-counties with high EOCRC incidence/mortality rates-will have significantly worse EOCRC survival juxtaposed to those in other Utah areas, specifically. (2) Rurality and county-level access to health care will contribute to an explanation of EOCRC incidence and survival.
