Colon Cancer Rising Among Young Adults

People have decorated their bodies with tattoos for millennia for ceremonial and religious reasons, and many people today use them as a form of selfexpression. Tattoo inks are usually made of a mixture of solid particles, molecular dyes, binders and water. The color of the tattoo comes from light being reflected or absorbed by the particles and dyes. While tattoo artists must be licensed to operate for safety reasons, the inks used for tattoos are unregulated in the U.S.

13MoonsPublishingServices.com

Colon cancer is on the rise in young adults, according to a report published in the journal Science. Colorectal cancer diagnosed in individuals under the age of 50 is known as earlyonset colorectal cancer (EOCRC). The most common symptoms include abdominal pain and rectal bleeding. Patients with EOCRC are often diagnosed with more advanced-stage disease and have worse survival rates compared to a later onset of the disease.

Researchers from Binghamton University, in New York, analyzed almost 100 inks and found that even when these products included an ingredient label, they were not accurate. The team also detected particles that could be harmful to cells.

“Every time we looked at one of the inks, we found something that gave me pause,” says John Swierk, Ph.D., the project’s principal investigator. “For example, 23 of 56 different inks analyzed to date suggest an azocontaining dye is present.” Although many azo pigments do not cause health concerns when they are chemically intact, bacteria or ultraviolet light can degrade them into another nitrogen-based compound that is a potential carcinogen. In addition, the team analyzed 16 inks using electron microscopy, and about half contained particles small enough to get through the cell membrane and potentially cause harm.

Once this data has been peer reviewed, the findings will be posted at WhatsInMyInk.com to help consumers and artists make informed choices.

EOCRC has risen at a rate of 2 to 4 percent per year since the 1990s and is anticipated to become the leading cause of cancer death in those aged 20 to 49 by the year 2030. One in five colorectal cancer (CRC) cases diagnosed today are in people younger than 55, compared to one in 10 cases in 1995, according to the American Cancer Society.

The increased risk is carried through generations due to changes in environmental risk factors that disproportionately affect those born in recent decades compared to those born earlier. Obesity and other conditions related to metabolic syndrome, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia and Type 2 diabetes are associated with CRC risk. Dietary factors, such as sugar-sweetened beverages, red and processed meat, and Western diets, have also been implicated, as has the increased use of antibiotics, environmental toxins and higher rates of cesarean sections and other surgical procedures. Other possible reasons include genetics, low screening rates and misdiagnoses. Researchers also call for more research on the microbiome for EOCRC early detection and assessment.