The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston opened one of the first dedicated colorectal cancer centers in the nation for patients age 50 and under.
Four things to know:
1. Cases of young-onset colorectal cancer have jumped 51 percent since 1994, according to the National Cancer Institute.
2. The Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center focuses on providing tailored cancer care for younger patients. Clinicians genetically sequence each patient's tumor to develop personalized care plans and address age-specific issues for patients, such as cancer therapies that affect fertility.
3. The center also serves as a research hub for scientists to better understand the growing incidence of young-onset colorectal cancer.
4. Boston-based Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center houses the new center within its existing Colon and Rectal Cancer Center.