Increase in cancer diagnoses before age 50: Explored types of cancer on the rise among younger populations

Increase in cancer diagnoses before age 50: Explored types of cancer on the rise among younger populations

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Keeping Tabs on Rising Cancer Cases in the Young

Chatty Cathy here! Let's cut to the chase - a new study reveals a concerning uptick in certain cancer types among younger folks in the U.S. Here's the lowdown:

Just because the diagnoses are on the rise, it doesn't mean cancer death rates are following suit for most cancers, the study shows. Cancer before the age of 50 may be rare, but it's becoming more common, and we desperately need to figure out why.

So, what cancers are we looking at? Researchers took a gander at a mountain of data from more than two million cancer diagnoses in people aged 15 to 49 between 2010 and 2019. You wanna know who's getting hit hardest? Ladies, it appears the battle's mostly yours. About 63% of the early-onset cancers were diagnosed in women, according to the study published in the journal Cancer Discovery last Thursday[3].

Want the nitty-gritty? Breast cancer, colorectal cancer, kidney cancer, and uterine cancer saw the biggest leaps. In fact, breast cancer snatched the largest share, with around 4,800 extra cases. Colorectal cancer wasn't far behind with about 2,000 more cases, followed by kidney cancer with around 1,800 extra cases and uterine cancer claiming approximately 1,200 additional cases[4][5].

You might be wondering, "Are death rates increasing alongside these diagnoses?" Well, not for most cancer types in young adult age groups. However, death rates did show an uptick for colorectal, uterine, and testicular cancers.

But, why is this happening? Why, oh why? Answers will take more research, as the big databases used for the study don't contain information on risk factors or access to care. Theories are floating around, and a big meeting is planned later this year to bring the brightest minds together[6].

You guessed it - excess body weight could be a contributing factor for some of these cancer types, as they're known to be associated with obesity, according to the lead author Meredith Shiels of the U.S.' National Cancer Institute[7]. Changes in cancer detection methods, screening guidelines, and the trend towards women having their first child at older ages might play a role[8].

On a brighter note, not all cancers are following this trend. In fact, cancer rates are actually dropping for more than a dozen types of cancer, with the largest declines in lung and prostate cancers. Lung cancer rates are on the decline thanks to cigarette smoking's steady decline in the U.S., while the drop in prostate cancer is likely due to updated guidelines discouraging routine PSA testing in younger men[8].

Guess that's about it, folks! If you're interested in learning more about this fascinating topic, be sure to check out Cancer Discovery for more deets. Keep it locked, and stay healthy!

References

[1]: [Accessible Link for Breast cancer data][2]: [Accessible Link for Colorectal, Kidney, and Uterine cancer data][3]: [Accessible Link for Study published in Cancer Discovery][4]: [Accessible Link for Related Study showing Millennials and Gen X at higher risk of 17 Cancers][5]: [Accessible Link for Enrichment Data][6]: [Accessible Link for Related Study where experts will gather to discuss early-onset cancers][7]: [Accessible Link for Related Study on the association between excess body weight and certain cancers][8]: [Accessible Link for Related Study on changes in cancer screening methods and trends in pregnancy and breastfeeding]

1. The study published in the journal Cancer Discovery last Thursday investigated suspiciously higher rates of certain cancers among older individuals, revealing a troubling trend of early-onset cancers.
2. Hypotheses to explain this uptick in cancer cases amongst younger individuals include excess body weight, changes in cancer detection methods, and shifts in reproductive trends such as women having their first child at older ages.
3. According to the study analysis of over two million cancer diagnoses from 2010 to 2019, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, kidney cancer, and uterine cancer display the most significant increases – with breast cancer accounting for around 4,800 additional cases.
4. Although death rates for most cancer types in young adult age groups are not exhibiting similar increases, colorectal, uterine, and testicular cancers show an upward trend in mortality rates. In light of this complex health-and-wellness issue, scientists continue to theorize about potential causes and plan a future meeting to collaborate on finding answers.

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