Global Early Onset Colorectal Cancer Think Tank
In response to the alarming global increase in early onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC), the Global Colon Cancer Association (GCCA), in collaboration with Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC), Dr. José Perea, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL) and an esteemed network of international organizations, will host the Global Early Onset Colorectal Cancer Think Tank (GEOCRCTT) in Barcelona, Spain, on June 18-19, 2025. This two-day event will convene leading experts from research, healthcare, and advocacy to develop a comprehensive research strategy aimed at reversing the troubling trend in EOCRC cases, especially among young adults.
GCCA President, Nicole Sheahan, said, "From 1990 to 2019 the global incidence of colorectal cancer in people less 50 years old has more than doubled. It is imperative that we address this now. GCCA is proud to participate in the GEOCRCTT, approaching the dramatic rise in early-onset colorectal cancer united with the global CRC community."
The Global EOCRC Survey is being conducted to better understand the global experience of early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) and to inform healthcare professionals and researchers worldwide. Colorectal cancer survivors, caregivers, and family members of those diagnosed with early-onset colorectal cancer are invited to share their experiences in a short, anonymous survey. By sharing these insights at a global conference, we hope to shed light on the challenges and needs of those affected by early-onset colorectal cancer.
Findings, recommendations, and action items developed at the Think Tank will be published in a leading peer-reviewed journal, making them accessible to the global research and medical communities.
In addition to the survey, partners of GEOCRCTT are bringing together the stories of individuals around the world affected by EOCRC. GCCA is highlighting the experiences of Tumi Ramasodi, colorectal cancer survivor and GCCA's Regional Director for Southern Africa, and Satoru Kakimoto, a 20-year survivor who is working with GCCA and CancerNet Japan to establish a colorectal cancer advocacy group in Japan.
