CU Cancer Center

Christopher Lieu, MD, On Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer During Awareness Month

Written by OncLive | March 12, 2026

Cancer center member Lieu noted that the data patterns are influenced not only by age groups but also by birth cohorts, as individuals born in certain years face different risks so as younger, higher-risk cohorts age, the number of cases in the 50 to 65 age group has stabilized rather than declined. Lieu emphasized the need for caution when identifying causes for these trends, noting that while people often seek a single explanation, the reality is complex.