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The study appeared in Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers analyzed data from 42 countries, primarily in Asia and Europe. They compared cancer rates between younger and older populations.
In more than 75% of countries studied, cancer rates rose among young people for 6 out of 13 cancer types over the 15-year period:
- Thyroid cancer increased by an average of 3.57% annually
- Breast cancer rose by 0.89% per year
- Colorectal cancer increased by 1.45% annually
- Kidney cancer climbed by 2.21% per year
- Endometrial cancer rose by 1.66% annually
- Leukemia increased by 0.78% per year.
Among adults aged 49 and older, trends matched for all these cancers except one. Colorectal cancer spread significantly faster among young adults than older populations.
Scientists worldwide are increasingly focused on cancer rates in young adults. Many studies conclude that cancer is "getting younger." A 2023 report in BMJ Oncology examined data from 1990 to 2019. The findings were sobering. Cancer cases among young people increased by 79.1%. Deaths from cancer in this age group rose by 27.7%.
Certain cancers became notably more common in younger populations. These included breast cancer, skin cancer, prostate cancer, and nasopharyngeal cancer. Interestingly, liver cancer cases decreased
Researchers have identified several risk factors contributing to cancer at younger ages:
- Diet: Young adults often consume diets high in red meat and sodium. At the same time, they eat fewer fruits and dairy products than recommended.
- Lifestyle habits: Alcohol consumption and smoking remain significant risk factors.
- Obesity epidemic: Excess weight has emerged as a major concern. Obesity rates have increased twice as fast among children as among adults in recent decades.
Global data shows the scope of the problem. Among children and adolescents aged 5-19, excess weight prevalence jumped from 8% in 1990 to 20% in 2022. These trends suggest that lifestyle factors developed in childhood and young adulthood may be contributing to earlier cancer diagnoses
Source: Annals of Internal Medicine