Colorectal cancer is more deadly for young people. Scientists may know why.

For years, scientists have been stumped by the rise of early-onset colorectal cancer, which appears to be more treatment-resistant than in older patients. A new study may have discovered distinct biological traits that prove the cancers are indeed different.

What did the study uncover?

Scientists have long believed that early-onset colorectal cancer must be “biologically distinct” from the cancer found in older patients, said Stat News, since younger patients tend to be more difficult to treat. Patients under the age of 50 are often diagnosed at “later stages” with “tumors with more aggressive features.” Their outlook, especially for those “under the age of 35,” may not be as good as that of someone in their 60s, despite receiving “more aggressive treatment” and “being at baseline healthier,” study co-author Kimmie Ng said to Stat News.

Researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Mass General Brigham, and the Broad Institute published the study in Nature Medicine. The biggest found difference between the two age groups was a “higher presence of stromal cells” in younger colorectal cancer patients, said The Washington Post. Stromal cells influence a tumor’s growth and can “shield it from immune cells or drugs.” The team also identified dozens of genes associated with “cancer’s propensity to metastasize and spread,” perhaps explaining why early-onset colorectal cancer is more fast-growing, said the Post.

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What will the findings change?

Researchers hope the paper will encourage more research into the distinct attributes of early-onset cancer tumors and how to approach them. Patients are typically treated the same, regardless of age. But following up on these findings could highlight “therapeutic targets” for a more precise treatment approach in the future for young patients, Ng said to the Post.

While the study doesn’t offer any “immediate new takeaways” for young people concerned about colon cancer, study co-author Ana Anderson suggests following existing guidance to lower your risk, said Business Insider. The recommended screening age was lowered from 50 to 45 a few years ago, but you should see a doctor sooner if you experience common colon cancer symptoms. If you’re “extra cautious,” she said, it’s never a bad idea to stay active and cut down on inflammatory foods.