You have a higher chance of getting cancer at a younger age than your parents. So what went wrong?
Some change in our lifestyles and environments over a generation has caused this increased risk. What, exactly, is a mystery
TL;DR
- Progress in global health, including increased life expectancy and decreased child mortality, has stalled since the turn of the century.
- A growing number of cancers are increasing in people under 50, referred to as "early onset cancer."
- Cancers such as breast, bowel, uterine, kidney, liver, pancreatic, and stomach cancers have increased in younger populations in England, the US, and the Netherlands.
- While improved diagnostics contribute partially, the data suggests younger generations have a higher incidence of some cancers at the same age compared to previous generations.
- Potential explanations include changes in diet (ultra-processed foods, sugary drinks), increased sedentarism leading to obesity and chronic inflammation, and exposure to environmental toxins.
- Lung cancer rates in young people have decreased, largely due to anti-smoking campaigns.
- Only an estimated 40% of cancers are linked to individually modifiable behaviors; the rest are due to aging, genetics, infection, environmental factors, or chance.