The Alarming Rise of Cancer Among Young People: Causes, Concerns, and Prevention
Cancer cases in individuals under 50 are rising globally, with experts investigating potential causes and emphasizing the importance of prevention strategies.
Watan-The number of certain types of cancer among people under the age of 50 is steadily increasing, raising concerns among specialists who are trying to understand the reasons behind this phenomenon.
Cancer in young people has become a topic of global attention, especially following news about Princess Kate, wife of Prince William of Britain, being diagnosed with cancer. Experts are increasingly alarmed by the fact that, between 1990 and 2019, the number of cancer cases worldwide in people under 50 increased by nearly 80%, according to an international study published in 2023 in the British Medical Journal. Furthermore, another study published in December 2022 in The Lancet Oncology predicts that the number of global cancer cases and deaths among individuals under 40 will rise by an additional 12% between 2022 and 2050.
In France, the World Health Organization indicates that around 15,000 people aged 20 to 40 were diagnosed with cancer in 2022.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, Professor Fabrice Barlesi, the general director of the French Gustave Roussy Institute, a leading cancer treatment center, warned that “the continuous rise [in cancer cases globally] leads us to anticipate a tsunami that we must be prepared for.”
Not only is the cancer incidence rate among young people rising, but the increasing diversity of cancer types is also concerning researchers. There has been a noticeable increase in types of cancers among young people that typically affected older adults, such as gastrointestinal, colon, pancreatic, and stomach cancers. For example, between 1998 and 2017, the number of new pancreatic cancer cases among people aged 20 to 39 rose by 4.3% in women and 5.4% in men. Additionally, cases of thyroid, kidney, lung, skin cancers, and certain types of breast cancer in women have also increased.
A Worrying Surge
While older adults remain at a higher risk of developing cancer, this rise among younger individuals is alarming for several reasons. Firstly, being diagnosed with cancer at a young age has a far greater human and social impact than for older adults, especially due to cancer-related issues like “fertility problems and brain fog,” explains Professor Fabrice André, research director at the Gustave Roussy Institute.
Another concern is that young cancer survivors are more likely to develop another type of cancer later in life. A 30-year-old cancer survivor is more susceptible to seeing the disease develop elsewhere later on. Finally, even with increasing success in cancer treatment, some forms of cancer remain devastating and claim lives at a young age, according to Le Figaro.
What Explains the Rise in Cases?
The increase in cancer cases cannot be attributed solely to enhanced screening for certain types of cancers or genetic predispositions. “Today, we don’t have answers, and all we can do is hypothesize,” says Professor Fabrice André.
Some questions being explored include: Are we facing premature aging of certain organs due to chronic inflammation that developed early in these generations (under 50)? Should new environmental risk factors, such as pollution, be held responsible?
To better understand the causes of early-onset gastrointestinal cancers and identify at-risk individuals, the Gustave Roussy Institute is launching the “YODA” project (Young-Onset Digestive Adenocarcinoma) in 2025.
Prevention
With World Cancer Day approaching on February 4, it is important to remember that 40% of cancer cases detected each year can be prevented through behavioral changes. Quitting smoking, significantly reducing alcohol consumption, maintaining a balanced diet, avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, engaging in physical activity, ensuring a healthy weight, and monitoring sun exposure all provide protection against cancer at any age, according to a Le Figaro report.
