evidence: This rapid increase is especially puzzling because the rate of colorectal cancer has plummeted among older adults—largely due to regular colonoscopies and lower rates of smoking. [...] Some groups have been hit by the rising trend more than others. For instance, although people of all races can develop colorectal cancer at a young age, the spike has mostly been seen among Alaska Native, American Indian, and White people. [...] The United States isn’t the only country facing the alarming rise in early-onset colorectal cancer, noted Jeffrey K. Lee, M.D., of Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Similar trends have also been documented in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and some parts of Europe and Asia. In most of these places, the number of cases in younger adults started trending upward around 1995.