Faster biological aging linked to early colorectal adenocarcinoma
In Korean adults under 50, risk of early-onset colorectal adenocarcinoma was 93% higher in those with accelerated biological aging than in those without it.
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
An observational study followed 198,491 Korean adults under 50 years of age for a median of 7.7 years. Researchers estimated biological age using Phenotypic Age, derived from nine routine blood markers. They examined links with early-onset colorectal adenocarcinoma, a cancer of gland-forming cells diagnosed before 50. National Cancer Registry records identified 127 cases. Adults whose biological age exceeded their chronological age had a 93% higher risk of the cancer than those without accelerated biological aging. The association held after adjusting for demographic, behavioural and clinical factors. The link was particularly strong for colon adenocarcinoma and also held in adults younger than 45. In contrast, researchers observed no consistent association with colorectal neuroendocrine tumours.
Why it matters
Colorectal cancer diagnosed before age 50 is increasing worldwide. Measures of biological aging could complement age-based criteria to identify younger adults who may benefit from earlier or tailored screening.
Caveats
The observational design cannot show that accelerated biological aging causes cancer. In addition, biological age was estimated from blood markers in a cohort of Korean adults.
- Early-onset colorectal adenocarcinoma
- Accelerated biological aging
- Early-onset colon adenocarcinoma
- Early-onset colorectal neuroendocrine tumor
- PhenoAge
- Humans
The paper
Kangbuk Samsung Hospital
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology · 5 Oct 2026
