The incidence of cancer among young people has increased: scientists have named the reason

Experts are sounding the alarm: the incidence of 17 types of cancer among millennials and Gen Xers has risen sharply in recent years. People born in 1990 are two to three times more likely to develop some types of cancer than those born in 1955, according to a study published in the journal Lancet Public Health. The study results reflect a alarming rise in colorectal cancer rates among young people. But this alarming list also includes other types of cancer, the publication writes. aol.

Photo: IStock

It is too early to tell what triggers “early onset” cancer. However, experts warn that the grim statistics are not only due to improved screening levels. People are dying from these diseases at rates and at ages not seen in their parents' generations.

What do you need to know about the generational risk of cancer, and what can you do to reduce the risk?

What the new study showed

Researchers from the American Cancer Society (ACS) assessed rates of 34 different types of cancer among those born between 1920 and 1990, based on how many people were diagnosed with the deadly disease and how many people died from it between 2000 and 2019. .

On the subject: How effective are dietary supplements and vitamins: do they really work wonders for health?

On average, rates of 17 types of cancer, including pancreatic, breast and stomach cancer, have increased with each generation since 1920. Previous ACS research confirmed that 11 types of disease, including pancreatic, colorectal, kidney, uterine and testicular cancer, were increasing among younger adults. The new study adds eight more species to this list:

• Cancer of the cardiac part of the stomach (cancer of the gastric mucosa)
• Small bowel cancer
• Estrogen receptor positive breast cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Liver and bile duct cancer
• Oral and pharyngeal cancer not associated with human papillomavirus (women only)
• Anal cancer (men only)
• Kaposi's sarcoma (cancer of the lining of blood vessels and lymph nodes, only in men)

The incidence of some of these cancers has doubled or even tripled for people of all genders, including kidney, pancreatic and small intestinal cancers. In women, the incidence of liver cancer has increased two to three times since the 1920s. Even cancers that seemed to be declining for baby boomers and older generations, including some breast and testicular cancers, have now become more dangerous again for millennials and Gen Xers.

More young people are dying from some of these diseases. Mortality rates from colorectal, gallbladder, testicular and uterine cancers have increased over recent generations, as have deaths from liver cancer among women. This statistic is not due to wider screening and earlier diagnosis. The data points to a real increase in incidence, said the study's lead author, ACS senior researcher Hyunah Son, in an interview with Yahoo Life.

Why is this happening

While the new study doesn't answer that question, Son and other experts point to a prime suspect: obesity. The study authors noted that 10 of the 17 cancers that are becoming more common among younger generations are associated with excess accumulation of fatty tissue.

Research is ongoing to find out exactly how obesity causes cancer. There are already several theories, said Timothy Rebbeck, a professor at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: “When someone is obese, a lot of things change in the body, including chronic inflammation that leads to years of damage to cells and tissues in the body. This can lead to cancer."

According to the Cancer Center named after. M.D. Anderson, this may not be directly related to a person’s body mass index (BMI). Rather, changes in insulin sensitivity and increases in certain hormones can fuel uncontrolled cell growth, leading to cancer.

Coinciding increases in obesity and cancer rates, especially among young people, suggest the problem may begin in childhood or perhaps even before a person is born, Rebbeck says.

“The process of damage to your human cells starts earlier and earlier. Therefore, if there is a 20-year time gap between the onset of obesity and the incidence of disease, then weight problems that begin at ten years of age can cause the onset of cancer at age 30 or 40,” he suggested.

Other early environmental influences can also be dangerous, including factors such as antibiotic use or diet, which can change your gut bacteria, which can lead to cancer in humans.

How to reduce the risk of disease

Although the results are alarming, experts advise against worrying too much.

“Cancer diagnosed before age 50 is still relatively rare,” Rebbeck noted.

According to the National Cancer Institute, only about 350 of every 100 cancers diagnosed each year occur in people ages 000 to 45.

“This is not something that people need to start panicking about... but we want them to be informed and start taking action,” Rebbeck explained.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New Y

These measures are quite simple. You need to lead as healthy a lifestyle as possible, watch your weight, eat a balanced diet and exercise. Try not to eat a lot of processed foods, and limit your consumption of red meat and red fish. Limit alcohol, quit smoking. It may not be easy to follow all these rules, but that's what Rebbeck says scientists can recommend. It's also important to know your family history and see your doctor if you notice any warning signs.

In young people, the first symptoms of colorectal cancer may be fatigue, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits, or unexplained weight loss. These are the red flags that may indicate the onset of cancer processes.

Read also on ForumDaily:

A woman was hospitalized because she slept with the air conditioner on: what health risks does this pose?

Harmful or useful: 8 things that still baffle scientists

Scientists have invented a drug that destroys cancerous tumors without harm to the body: behind this is the story of a 9-year-old girl

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.