The number of cancer cases among young people has increased suddenly, showing worrying trends worldwide. Medical professionals say there are preventative measures that can be taken to reduce the risks of cancer and other life-threatening diseases with a major risk of death.
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Early-onset cancers, defined as cases diagnosed in people under the age of 50, have increased globally by a staggering 79%. In the United States, the American Cancer Society reported that the demographics of cancer patients are increasingly shifting from the elderly to the middle-aged.
While adults over the age of 50 saw a decline in global cancer incidence from 1995 to 2020, there was a notable increase in people younger than 50.
Why do young people get cancer at higher rates? Does this mean people should start screening for cancer at younger ages? Who should be most concerned? And what preventive measures should younger people consider?
CNN health expert Dr. Leana Wen, who is an emergency physician and adjunct associate professor at George Washington University, offers some insight in a recent interview. It says the most deadly types of cancer in young people are breast cancer, trachea, bronchial and lung cancer, and stomach and colorectal cancer, according to a 2023 study published in the journal BMJ Oncology. “An American Cancer Society report singled out colorectal cancer, which is now the leading cause of cancer death in men younger than 50 and second in women under 50.” explains the expert who points out that there are several hypotheses why this happens. “Some researchers point to the increasing rate of obesity in recent decades, which is associated with the risk of early cancer.
Changing eating habits, specifically increasing the consumption of ultra-processed foods, and being sedentary are also associated with higher cancer rates. Others speculate that environmental factors may be at play, such as carcinogens released into the air, water and food.”
This is precisely why people should be screened for cancer at a younger age. For example, in the United States, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends that people start screening for colon cancer at age 45.
The task force also issued a draft recommendation that women start getting mammograms at age 40.
Both revisions represent changes to the guidelines. Before 2021, people were advised to start colon cancer screening at age 50. The change regarding mammograms was only proposed last year and has not been finalized. Before this recommendation, the guideline was for most women to start mammograms at age 50. People at average risk should follow existing recommendations, one more reason why they should make sure they get an annual health check. That's when they can review all the tests they need to have, which includes cancer screening. For example, if a woman has a sister, mother, or other first-degree relative with breast cancer, she herself has an average risk of double breast cancer. Those who have two first-degree relatives have a five-fold increase in the incidence of breast cancer compared to the average.
One in three people who are eligible for colon cancer screening have never had screening exams, according to the American Cancer Society. And up to 59% of women skip the annual mammogram, according to some surveys.
People can skip these tests for a number of reasons, the American doctor says, whether they're busy with work and family care responsibilities, or they may not have a primary care provider or face other barriers to getting tested. the pathway to access to care. And they may think they don't need these tests because they're young, healthy, and feeling great.
But the startling statistics on the rise in the number of cancer cases in young people should be a call to action.
Actions young people can take
Many cancers are asymptomatic in the early stages. That's why screening is needed: to detect these cancers before they spread. Treatment can be curative if cancers are detected in time, says Dr. Wen, who also has some recommendations for young people. “It is essential that people know their risks,” she says. Specifically, they need to know what their family history is and whether they have other medical conditions or lifestyle factors that increase their risk of early-onset cancer. Also, don't forget to mention all lifestyle factors, including smoking, alcohol consumption, eating habits and physical activity, warns the doctor.
Smoking and heavy alcohol consumption are major risk factors, says Dr. Wen. Quitting smoking and reducing alcohol consumption are important steps. Just one or two minutes of vigorous exercise a day can reduce the risk of cancer, as can cutting down on ultra-processed foods.
