The average cancer trends of young adults among ages 14 to 49 increased by 79.1% from 1990 to 2019, a study published by the BMJ Oncology journal (September 2023) indicated.
As a professor of the Department of Pathology at Harvard, Shuji Ogino mentioned that there has been a birth cohort effect while regarding children with cancer. Each successive year, the risk in the young generations developing cancer increases. “For instance, people born in 1960 experienced higher cancer risk before they turn 50 than people born in 1950,” she said. “We predict that this risk level will continue to climb in successive generations.”
One reason for this rising number is because of the increasing prevalence of obesity, an epidemic resulting from genetics and the environment. This excess fat can cause higher levels of estrogen in the body, leading to many cancers such as breast, ovarian, and endometrial versions.
Additionally, having a high body mass index (BMI) can be a characteristic of obesity, as well as having a genetic mutation or biological DNA sequence that codes for a vulnerability to the epidemic. High BMIs have been associated with colon cancers, contributing to an increase in diagnosis of those under age 50.
Furthermore, obesity is the result of the environment; having a society that encourages fast-food industries over the years can make it extremely hard to keep an obese-free zone, leading it to become the second leading cause of death of Americans.
Another reason for rising cancer in young patients is increased alcohol consumption. According to a study conducted by Dr. Brawley, a Professor of Oncology and Epidemiology at John Hopkins University and published in a CNN news source, “We now think about 6% or so of cancers in the United States are due to alcohol consumption, especially binge drinking.” Acetaldehyde from ethanol in alcohol can bind with DNA and damage the cell replication process, causing them to replicate uncontrollably or abnormally. Causes for alcohol consumption could be due to wide-ranging reasons, all ranging from peer pressure to acting as a sort of “mental” pain-killer to ebb the reality of life.
The devastating effects of cancer in young adults are also due to a lack of knowledge of the symptoms of cancers. Children, in their youthful state, are not likely to get screenings for cancer, as they seem to be at their healthiest. Many Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) patients seem to show a genetic predisposition to the malignant neoplasm as well as resistance to specific treatment methods of cancer. This has led to higher morbidity and mortality rates amongst them.
The rise in cancer rates has made it imperative to check for irregularities in health and lifestyle and report them immediately during checkups, which is the main way to increase awareness on these topics. Regularly attending doctor appointments and sharing new developments in one’s body can be extremely helpful in detecting these cancers in earlier stages.
Many of these cancers come from genetic mutations that are uncontrollable, and others come from unhealthy lifestyle choices. It is only through raising awareness and fixing these controllable issues that can we truly see a decline in mortality amongst young adults while talking about cancer.