Tejal Somvanshi
Ron Duguay died on October 22, 2026. He was 69 years old, and colon cancer — Stage 4 — took his life. The former New York Rangers forward was one of hockey’s most recognizable players, known just as much for his long hair and charisma as for his play on the ice.
Over 12 seasons in the NHL, Duguay suited up for the Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He played 864 regular-season games and racked up 620 points — 274 goals and 346 assists. In 89 playoff games, he added another 53 points. On April 6, 1980, he scored just nine seconds into a game, tying the Rangers’ fastest-ever goal record, according to the NHL’s official tribute.
His passing at 69 is a reminder of how deadly colon cancer can be — but what the latest American Cancer Society numbers say about who’s getting it might actually surprise you.
Although colorectal cancer remains more common among older adults, incidence is rising sharply in younger age groups. The American Cancer Society’s 2026 report projects 158,850 new cases and 55,230 deaths in the United States this year alone. That makes it the second leading cause of cancer death overall — and the leading cause among adults under 50.
Why the Numbers Are Shifting So Fast
Here’s the shift that’s alarming researchers: while the rate of new cases is dropping 2.5% per year among people 65 and older, it’s climbing 3% per year among adults aged 20 to 49. In people aged 50 to 64, it’s going up 0.4% per year. Rectal cancer has grown significantly too, now accounting for 32% of all colorectal cancer cases — up from 27% in the mid-2000s, per ACS research on rising rectal cancer incidence.
What makes this even more urgent is how late younger patients are typically diagnosed. About three in four adults under 50 who get colorectal cancer are already at an advanced stage when they find out. Twenty-seven percent have cancer that has already spread to distant parts of the body. A related look at early-onset cancer trends since 1990 shows this pattern extends well beyond the colon.
The numbers look even sharper when broken down by community. Alaska Native people face the highest colorectal cancer rates in the world — 81 cases per 100,000 people, with a mortality rate of 32 per 100,000. Among racial groups, incidence is rising 4% per year in Hispanic populations, 3% per year in White, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native populations, and 2% per year in Black populations.
Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, Senior Vice President at the American Cancer Society, put it plainly: “It’s clear that colorectal cancer can no longer be called an old person’s disease. We must double down on research to pinpoint what is driving this tsunami of cancer in generations born since 1950.”
Because about half of all colorectal cancers in people under 50 occur between ages 45 and 49, the American Cancer Society recommends that average-risk adults start screening at 45 and continue through 75. A recent Swedish study found that regular bowel cancer screening cuts death risk by 43%. If a stool test comes back positive, getting a colonoscopy quickly matters. Limiting alcohol, cutting processed meat, staying physically active, and getting checked for symptoms like rectal bleeding, ongoing stomach pain, or iron-deficiency anemia can all make a difference in catching this early. Survival statistics by stage are detailed in ACS’s colorectal cancer survival data.
Ron Duguay’s career is what made him famous. His death at 69 — from a cancer now increasingly striking people in their 30s and 40s — is what makes this story matter now.
