A new study by researchers at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has revealed a concerning rise in the incidence of several cancer types among individuals under age 50 in the United States between 2010 and 2019.
The study found that the largest increases were in breast, colorectal, kidney, and uterine cancers, the news agency AP reported.
According to the study, the incidence of 14 out of the 33 analysed cancer types increased in at least one younger age group. About 63% of the early-onset cancers were among women.
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The researchers compared cancer rates in 2019 to what would be expected based on 2010 rates.
Among the rising cancers in younger populations, breast cancer showed the largest increase, with approximately 4,800 more cases diagnosed in 2019 than would have been expected based on 2010 rates. Compared to the 2010 rates, there were 2,000 more colorectal cancers. There were 1,800 more kidney cancers and 1,200 additional uterine cancers, news agency AP added.
Death rates were not rising for most cancers in the young adult age groups, although increasing rates were seen for colorectal, uterine and testicular cancers. Some cancers like lung and prostate saw a decline in people under 50, as per the study.
According to researchers, increasing obesity may have contributed to some of the increases in early-onset cancer incidence in recent years. Advances in cancer detection and changes in screening guidelines could be behind some early diagnoses.
