Younger Americans in Cancer Crosshairs


I


t’s clearly a myth that cancer stalks only the aged. Studies by the American Cancer Society (ACS)


now show that cancer is more likely than ever to strike before patients reach their fifth decade of life. And the trend is growing worse. A 2019 ACS study detected eight cancers


occurring more frequently among 25- to 49-year- olds. That jumped to 17 different cancer types hitting younger adults in a study released in August — including colon, breast, gastric, and esophageal.


cancer types


8


increasingly prevalent, ages 25-49


2019 Study


cancer types


17


increasingly prevalent, ages 25-49


2024 Study


years, and have a profound societal impact. Many young people do not have adequate health insurance. Cancer, of course, has always


been a threat at any age. But histori- cally, 80% of all cancer cases have been diagnosed in patients 55 and older. Age-related genomic instabil- ity, diminished immunity, and ongo- ing exposure to carcinogens are all thought to skew the mortality risk to older demographics. Now, however, cancers that were


almost exclusively diagnosed after age 50 are commonly diagnosed in 30- and 40-somethings. Colorectal cancer, which has been declining overall since the mid-1980s, has nearly doubled among those 55 and younger. It is now the leading cause of cancer deaths among those 20 to 49, according to the National Cancer Institute. Between 2001 and 2017, the inci-


dence of uterine cancer nearly dou- bled among women ages 20 to 39, says data from the National Program for Cancer Registries. The latest American Cancer Society


report says the incidence of cancer among young adults rose by 1% to 2% annually from 1995 to 2020. Worldwide, new cases of early-onset cancers in those under 50 have risen a shocking 79% over the past 30 years,


according to the study published in BMJ Oncology. The growing cancer threat to Gen


Xers and Gen Zers presumably stems from carcinogenic exposures at a young age, as new chemicals and food additives emerge. But simply identifying an associa-


tion between, say, consumption of high-glycemic index foods and stom- ach cancer doesn’t mean one is actu- ally causing the other. It could stem from the additives in sweet treats, for example, as well as lifestyle changes or the inactivity that comes with obesity. Suspected contributors to early-onset malignancies include environmental toxins such as pesticides and herbicides, additives to food and water, repetitive sun exposure, less physical activity, and


The growing cancer threat to Gen Xers and Gen Zers presumably stems from carcinogenic exposures at a young age, as new chemicals and food additives emerge.


certain occupational hazards. Among the cornucopia of potential


causes, however, one is drawing more and more attention — obesity.


EATING OURSELVES TO DEATH One study Ogino worked on analyzed 14 early-onset cancers, compared to malignancies in patients who were 50 or older. Eight of those 14 cancers had some


link to the digestive system, suggest- ing modern diets might be altering the gut microbiome in a way that increas- es cancer risk. “While obesity may not be the


primary reason, it’s probably one of the reasons,” Ogino tells Newsmax. “Glycemic food, processed food, pro- cessed meat — all of these factors come together.” America’s obesity rate, like its inci-


dence of cancer among the young, has doubled since the 1970s — and it continues to climb. Studies show those whose diets


include 10% or more of ultra-processed foods — think chips, sodas, snacks, and fast food — have a 23% greater risk of cancer of the head and neck. Junk-food junkies have a 24% high-


er risk of cancer of the esophagus, research shows. A 2015 study reported that daily meat eaters have a 40% greater risk of


OCTOBER 2024 | NEWSMAX 17


WARNING SIGN/ALANO DESIGN/GETTY IMAGES / SODA/PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES


SOURCE: American Cancer Society


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