A recent study by the American Cancer Society (ACS) has found that cancer rates are increasing among younger generations. This trend is evident in 17 of the 34 cancer types examined, including breast, pancreatic, and gastric cancers.
Mortality rates are also rising for certain cancers, such as liver (in women), uterine corpus, gallbladder, testicular, and colorectal cancers. These findings, published in The Lancet Public Health, highlight a worrying shift in cancer risk across generations.
Dr. Hyuna Sung, the lead author of the study and a senior scientist at the ACS, noted that these results add to the growing evidence of increased cancer risk among post-Baby Boomer generations.
Previous studies focused on early-onset colorectal cancer and some obesity-related cancers, but this new study shows that the trend includes a wider range of cancer types.
The researchers analyzed data from over 23 million cancer patients and more than 7 million cancer-related deaths, covering the period from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2019. They used birth cohort analysis to compare cancer rates across generations, grouping people by their birth year.
This method helps identify unique social, economic, political, and environmental factors that might influence cancer risk during critical developmental years.
The study found that cancer rates have been rising with each successive birth cohort since around 1920 for eight types of cancer. For example, the incidence of pancreatic, kidney, and small intestinal cancers in both men and women, and liver cancer in women, was two to three times higher in those born in 1990 compared to those born in 1955.
Moreover, younger generations have seen increasing cancer rates after a decline in older generations for nine other cancers.
These include estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer, uterine corpus cancer, colorectal cancer, non-cardia gastric cancer, gallbladder cancer, ovarian cancer, testicular cancer, anal cancer in men, and Kaposi sarcoma in men.
For example, in the 1990 birth cohort, the incidence of ovarian cancer was 12% higher and uterine corpus cancer was 169% higher compared to the birth cohort with the lowest incidence rate. Mortality rates have also increased in younger generations for liver cancer (in women), uterine corpus, gallbladder, testicular, and colorectal cancers.
Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, senior vice president at the ACS and a co-author of the study, emphasized that the rising cancer rates in younger people indicate a generational shift in cancer risk.
This trend could lead to an overall increase in cancer burden in the future, potentially reversing decades of progress in fighting the disease. Identifying and addressing the underlying risk factors in Gen X and Millennial populations is crucial for effective prevention strategies.
Lisa Lacasse, president of the ACS Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), highlighted the importance of affordable, comprehensive health insurance in improving cancer outcomes.
ACS CAN continues to advocate for the expansion of Medicaid in states that have not yet done so and for the permanent establishment of enhanced Affordable Care Act tax subsidies to ensure broader access to healthcare.
Other researchers involved in the study include Chenxi Jiang, Dr. Priti Bandi, Dr. Farhad Islami, and Rebecca Siegel. Their work underscores the urgent need to understand and mitigate the factors contributing to the rising cancer rates among younger generations.
As we move forward, both prevention strategies and healthcare accessibility will play vital roles in addressing this growing public health challenge.
If you care about cancer, please read studies about vitamin D and bowel cancer, and a cautionary note about peanuts and cancer.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the link between ultra-processed foods and cancer, and everyday foods to ward off pancreatic cancer.
The research findings can be found in The Lancet Public Health.
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