Why are more people under 50 getting colorectal cancer? Scientists have some clues

Many factors may be driving an uptick of the cancer among younger and middle-aged adults

An illustration of a blue person's colon highlighted in pink with a chunk of brown resting in the colon.

Doctors and scientists continue to see a rise in the number of people under 50 diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Researchers are exploring what factors may be driving this early-onset disease.

Sebastian Kaulitzki/Science Photo Library/Getty Images

Abdominal pain is one clue something could be wrong.