What's behind the surge in young people getting bowel cancer?

Bowel Cancer Australia advocate Vanessa Mendico was diagnosed with bowel cancer at just 28 years old – one of the increasing numbers of young people diagnosed with the disease. Young people aged 15 to 24 have recorded a 266 per cent increase in diagnoses in the last 30 years.

Associate Professor Daniel Buchanan, who leads our Colorectal Oncogenomics Group, was interviewed on ABC's Triple J Hack program about what has caused this rise.

"We've become increasingly more sedentary in our work life and our home life," he said.

"But also, majorly, our diet has changed over time, and we have a lot more fatty and processed foods in our diet, processed meat but also sugary drinks, increasing the amount of sugar in our food."

A young woman wearing a black dress with tubes attached to an IV drip gives the peace sign

Age can pose a significant barrier for young people hoping to get tested. Vanessa said the wait time for diagnosis can be a matter of life or death.

"It can mean a massive difference between whether you have five, 10, 12 years to live" she said.