Early-Life Mutagenesis and the Rise of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer - PubMed
13 days ago
- #early-onset colorectal cancer
- #oncogenic mutations
- #early-life mutagenesis
- The incidence of colorectal cancer is increasing globally in individuals under 50, and current risk factors do not fully explain this trend.
- A new hypothesis suggests that early-childhood exposure to bacteria that produce mutagens may lead to oncogenic mutations in the developing colorectal epithelium.
- This early-life mutagenic exposure could initiate tumorigenesis decades before diagnosis, redefining early-onset colorectal cancer as a condition originating in childhood.