Cancer cases are rising in young adults.
Cancer in individuals under 50 remains uncommon, but recent research indicates it is becoming more prevalent in the U.S., prompting scientists to investigate the causes behind this trend. A comprehensive new study by the National Cancer Institute analyzed data from over two million cases diagnosed between 2010 and 2019 in people aged 15 to 49, revealing a noticeable rise in several types of cancer, particularly breast, colorectal, kidney, and uterine cancers. The study, published in Cancer Discovery, found that 14 out of 33 cancer types had increased rates in at least one age subgroup, with women accounting for around 63% of early-onset cases.
The study highlighted significant increases in cancer cases compared to projections based on 2010 data. Breast cancer had the largest surge, with nearly 4,800 more cases than expected. Colorectal cancer followed with about 2,000 additional cases, while kidney and uterine cancers rose by approximately 1,800 and 1,200 cases, respectively. Although incidence rates are climbing, most young adult cancer death rates have not followed the same trend—except for colorectal, uterine, and testicular cancers, which showed increased mortality.
Researchers have not pinpointed a single cause for the uptick in early-onset cancers, and further investigation is needed. The study’s data did not include information on individual risk factors or healthcare access. However, experts speculate that rising obesity rates could be a major contributor, as excess body weight is linked to several of the cancers in question. Other potential factors include improvements in early detection methods, shifts in reproductive behavior such as delayed childbirth, and changes in screening recommendations.
Importantly, the increase is not consistent across all cancer types. More than a dozen cancers have shown decreasing rates in younger adults, including lung and prostate cancers. The decline in smoking over past decades likely explains the drop in lung cancer, while the reduced use of routine PSA testing in younger men is thought to account for fewer prostate cancer diagnoses.
A major research summit is scheduled for later this year to bring together experts to explore the root causes of this shift. Scientists emphasize the urgency of understanding these patterns to guide future prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies.
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