Cancer among younger Americans on the rise

Cancer among younger Americans on the rise


Cancer has always been considered a disease that typically happens to people later in life. In fact, when someone 50 or younger receives that diagnosis, doctors refer to it as “early-onset cancer.”

But a new look at health data from 2010 to 2019 shows that cancer among younger Americans is on the rise ¾ particularly among women ¾ with gastrointestinal, endocrine and breast cancers climbing fastest.

An international team of scientists studied health data from 560,000 patients. They found that while cancers among older adults declined, cancers among those under 50 increased slightly overall.

Early-onset diagnoses rose by nearly 1% during the 10-year study period. However, that increase was most pronounced in the 30 to 39 age group, which saw cases rise 19%.

Men’s early-onset cancer rates decreased almost 5% over the study period, but for women, rates went up more than 4%. The researchers said the increases seen among younger women were likely driven by breast and uterine cancers.

Why are younger people having to contend with cancer? Researchers say there is no clear explanation yet. But there are several possibilities.

Lifestyle factors may include drinking alcohol, smoking, having obesity and being sedentary. Environmental factors could include more frequent exposure to carcinogenic chemicals and pollutants.

With nearly 2 million new cancer cases diagnosed each year in the U.S., health officials may need to lower the recommended age for some screenings.

At the individual level, we can all minimize cancer risk by managing our weight, avoiding alcohol and tobacco, and exercising regularly.

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