New Study Finds Colorectal Cancer Deaths Increased in People Under 50

A study published in JAMA found that, while overall cancer mortality rates in people younger than 50 decreased by 44% between 1990 and 2023, colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality rates increased by 1.1% per year from 2005 to 2023, for a total 20.9% increase in CRC deaths over 19 years (Siegel, Wagle, & Jemal, 2026).

This study from the American Cancer Society evaluated annual cancer deaths and age-standardized rates per 100,000 males and females under the age of 50 from 1990 through 2023 as reported by the National Center for Health Statistics. While CRC mortality rates increased steadily year over year since 2005, those mortality rates were offset by dramatic decreases in lung and breast cancers in people under 50, despite rising breast cancer incidence rates (Siegel, Wagle, & Jemal, 2026).

Perhaps no two greater examples of this trend exist than actors Chadwick Boseman and James Van Der Beek.

Boseman photo from Richmond Free Press | Van Der Beek photo from Quotes Gram

Boseman, who rose to fame playing the roles of Black American icons such as Jackie Robinson and James Brown, as well as his role as the Black Panther in Marvel’s eponymous summer blockbuster film, died in August 2020 after a four-year battle with colon cancer just two years after the release of Black Panther (Pearson, 2020).

Van Der Beek, perhaps best known for his roles as Dawson Leery, the titular character of the late-90s WB drama series, Dawson’s Creek, died of colorectal cancer in February 2026 after announcing his diagnosis in November 2024 (Kennedy, 2026). Van Der Beek’s death set off a firestorm of debate around the issue of cancer treatment costs after his family created a GoFundMe campaign to help defray the costs after he spent months auctioning off items from his acting career (Bucksbaum, 2026).

The grim truth is that tragic stories like Boseman’s and Van Der Beek’s can often lead to increased awareness of cancer risks, treatment options, and the real-world costs that can drive even families we perceive as “rich” into financial distress.

With both actors, there are questions as to whether or not their actors’ union, SAG-AFTRA, provides sufficient leeway for eligibility, particularly with those who develop chronic or potentially life-ending diseases.

Under SAG-AFTRA rules, in order to qualify for insurance coverage, you must:

• Earn $25,950 in covered earnings within a one-year span; or,

• Work 100 days

After qualifying for coverage under these rules, health insurance coverage begins in the calendar quarter AFTER you qualify. For example, if you meet the eligibility requirements in April, your coverage wouldn’t begin until July; conversely, if you qualify in March, coverage will begin in April (SAG-AFTRA Health Plan, 2024).

As anyone who has undergone or known someone who endured a cancer diagnosis can attest, meeting these requirements may simply be physically impossible without seriously risking one’s health and well-being.

Data Lags Serve as Intervention Barriers

While researching for this article, PlusInc attempted to access the most recent data on colorectal cancer incidence and mortality using the National Cancer Institute’s State Cancer Profiles dashboard. This project of the National Institutes of Health has been providing incidence and mortality data via interactive maps since January 2007 (National Cancer Institute, 2025). We were only partially successful in this effort:

With rare exception, this dashboard has been updated at least twice a year since 2009. As of February 2026, the website has not been updated in a year, after receiving 16 updates between July 2020 and February 2025.

This means that the most recent years available for cancer incidence data are a five-year average spanning 2017-2021 or single-year data from 2021.

Additionally, the most recent years available for cancer mortality data are a five-year average spanning 2018-2022 or single-year data from 2022.

While a two-year data lag is common to account for the work required to confirm, calculate, and peer review these types of data, using data that are five and four years out of date, respectively, is both unacceptable and emblematic of the data concerns PlusInc has shared related to the Trump Administration’s attitudes toward disease epidemiology (Hopkins, 2025).

PlusInc is currently seeking “next-best” data sources to ensure we can provide the most recent data to patients and advocates working to develop meaningful and productive health interventions.

PlusInc’s Other Efforts

For the past two years, PlusInc has been working to develop The Eddie Hamilton HIV and Cancer Initiative, an educational endeavor designed to better educate both patients and healthcare practitioners about the increased risk of developing and dying from certain types of cancer faced by People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).

This initiative was named in honor of a beloved friend, mentor, and HIV/AIDS and 340B Drug Pricing Program educator, advocate, activist, and troublemaker, Eddie Hamilton, who passed away in July 2022 after a short battle against colorectal cancer and enduring numerous misdiagnoses before beginning oral and infused radiation therapy.

Eddie’s legacy is one of unapologetic and incisive advocacy and activism, and he was known as a firebrand, leading successful crusades against healthcare providers, organizations, government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and insurance companies whenever they tried to tread on patients' rights and needs.

We hope to continue this legacy by honoring his educational efforts. Please stay tuned for more information.