THURSDAY, June 25, 2026 (NewsDay News) — Certain demographic, birth, and parenting characteristics are associated with the risk of colon cancer (EOCRC), according to a study published online June 22, 2026. Cancer.
Sunny Siddique, MPH, Ph.D., of the Yale School of Public Health in New Haven, Connecticut, and colleagues examined the relationship between demographic, birth, and parenting characteristics and the risk of EOCRC in a study involving 1,221 cases of birth and diagnosis of EOCRC between the ages of 0 and 829 in California. 61,050 frequency matching control.
The researchers found that compared to women, men had a significantly higher risk of EOCRC based on multivariable analysis (odds ratio, 1.34), and Hispanic ethnicity was also associated with a higher risk compared with non-Hispanic Whites (odds ratio, 1.34). A lower risk of EOCRC was observed in association with having a foreign mother (odds ratio, 0.85). Each 500 g increase in birth weight was associated with an increased risk of EOCRC among women (odds ratio, 1.10), and the risk of EOCRC was higher in association with having a father aged ≥35 years (odds ratio, 1.56). No other significant associations were seen for demographic, birth, or parental characteristics with EOCRC risk.
“Assessment of demographic, birth, and parenting characteristics is critical to understanding the cause of the increase in early-stage colon cancer,” Siddiq said in a statement. “Our findings warrant future studies to understand the mechanisms by which factors such as male gender, Hispanic ethnicity, birth weight, maternal birthplace, and paternal age may affect early colorectal cancer risk.”
One author disclosed his affiliation with Flatiron Health and the second author disclosed his affiliation with Bristol Myers Squibb.
