Colon cancer left an estimated 408 new diagnoses in the regions of Lleida during 2024 and 135 deaths in the province, on a day marked by the commemoration of World Day of this disease. The data place this tumor as one of the most impactful in the territory, both by incidence and by mortality.
Of the total estimated cases in Lleida, 250 corresponded to men and 158 to women. In both sexes, it was the second most common cancer. In men, it was behind prostate cancer and in women, it also occupied the second position among the most frequent diagnoses.
High incidence and weight in mortality
Mortality also keeps colon cancer among the tumors with the highest impact in Lleida. In men, it was the second with the most deaths, only behind lung cancer. In women, it was behind breast cancer and lung cancer. In 2025, furthermore, breast and lung cancer equaled the number of deaths.
The attention of specialists is also focused on another front. Experts warn of an increase in cases in patients under 50 years old, an age group outside the current population screening in Catalonia.
Screening still fails to exceed 50% participation
Currently, women and men between 50 and 69 years old receive every two years an invitation to get a free stool blood test. The objective is to detect amounts of blood not visible to the naked eye in the stool, a sign that can alert of a possible lesion.
This program is pending to expand the age range up to 74 years old, from the current 69. While that extension is not deployed, oncologists insist on improving the response of the population that is already called to participate.
"The top priority is that people aged 50 to 69 get tested" - Elena Élez, head of the Digestive Tumors Unit at Vall d'Hebron hospital
The specialist warns that participation remains below 50% and considers that it should reach at least 65% to gain early detection capacity.
Concern for cases in young people
Oncologists have promoted the campaign #Noesplatodebuengusto to alert about the importance of early diagnosis and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits. Even so, the investigation into the resurgence of cases in young people remains open.
Elena Élez already pointed out last July that the majority of these tumors are not linked to a hereditary risk nor are they necessarily related to a sedentary lifestyle or an unbalanced diet. Among the factors under study, she cited the microbiome, the intake of antibiotics, the sleep rhythm, or stress.
In young patients, the specialist asks to monitor warning signs such as unexplained weight loss and fatigue, anemias or bleeding. Her warning is clear. 70% of young patients have advanced tumors when detected, a circumstance that complicates the clinical approach and reinforces the need to consult in the face of persistent symptoms.