- Rates of gastrointestinal cancers are rising in people under age 50, according to a new study.
- Cancers in people under age 50 are on the rise, despite cancer rates for those over age 50 dropping.
- The researchers say the rising incidence can be attributed to a mix of factors.
A new report has found that rates of gastrointestinal cancers in younger adults may be rising faster than any other type of cancer.
According to the study, published in JAMA Network Open Wednesday, gastrointestinal cancers, including cancers of the colon, rectum, stomach and pancreas, are among the most common types of early-onset cancers, which is defined as cancer in people under the age of 50.
The findings add to growing evidence revealing that this type of cancer, which has historically been seen as a disease of older adults, is now being diagnosed more frequently in younger people.
Because young people aren’t routinely screened for many cancers until their mid-40s, many cases go undetected until they are diagnosed at a later, more aggressive stage.
“The results are quite alarming because not only is colorectal cancer increasing among young people – a fact that is now well known – it is increasing even more rapidly in some of the less common gastrointestinal malignancies such as bile duct cancer and pancreas cancer,” Dr. Anton Bilchik, MD, PhD, surgical oncologist, chief of medicine, and Director of the Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Program at Saint John’s Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, told Healthline.
Cancer rates are rising in young people
To measure the incidence rates of various types of cancer in people under 50, the researchers looked at the health data of 562,145 people with early-onset cancer between 2010 and 2019.
The team found that while cancer rates declined in people older than 50, cancers in people under 50 rose, particularly among those between the ages of 30 to 39.
Early-onset cancer grew by 0.74%, from 56,051 young people diagnosed with cancer in 2010 to 56,468 in 2019. The early onset cancer incidence per 100,000 individuals was 0.28%.
While breast cancer was the most common type of cancer diagnosed in 2019, gastrointestinal cancers — such as cancers of the stomach, colon, rectum, and pancreas — saw the fastest-growing rates that year.
“These cancers are very aggressive and have a worse outcome than colorectal cancer,” says Bilchik.
The researchers observed an 8% increase in early-onset breast cancer cases between 2010 and 2019.
Increases in the incidence of cancers of the urinary system and the female reproductive system were also recorded.
Gender and race played a role.
Early-onset cancer increased by 4.4% in females and decreased by 5% in males, which the researchers attribute to the rapid rise of breast and uterine cancers.
Cancer rates grew in American Indian or Alaska Native people, Asian or Pacific Islander people, and Hispanic people, while cancer incidence remained the same in White people and declined in Black people.
What’s driving up cancer rates in younger people
The researchers say the rising incidence can be attributed to a mix of factors.
The differences observed across various ethnic groups, for example, is likely driven by genetic, socioeconomic, and environmental factors.
“Access to healthcare, exposure to risk factors, and differences in gut microbiome composition may all play a role,” Dr. Wael Harb, a hematologist and medical oncologist at MemorialCare Cancer Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, says.
Many studies argue that increasing obesity rates are driving the spike in GI cancers among young people.
“Obesity can drive malignancy through inflammation, hormonal changes and can itself be a trigger of colorectal cancer,” Dr. Vikram Reddy, MD, PhD, the chief of colon and rectal surgery at Yale School of Medicine and member of Yale Cancer Center.
A poor diet, rich in refined sugars, can cause chronic inflammation in the GI tract and an increased susceptibility to cancer, he added.
Environmental exposures, including smoke and gasoline, along with exposure to carcinogenic chemicals may disrupt the body’s metabolism and contribute to the development of cancer, too.
Sleep patterns and reduced physical activity are thought to contribute to cancer as well.
A study published in 2018 found that more sedentary time was linked to an increased risk of young-onset colorectal cancer.
Genetic alterations may also lead to cancer.
For example, a quarter of patients with early-onset colorectal cancer have a family history and should be screened at or before they’re 40, Reddy says.
“Surprisingly, a majority of these cancers occur sporadically, without a family history of cancer, making it even more challenging to pin down the exact causes,” says Harb.
How to combat rising rates of GI cancers
According to Reddy, younger patients aren’t screened via colonoscopy until they are 45.
And of those who have a family history, there’s low adherence to early screening recommendations.
“Due to the lack of screening, younger patients also present with more advanced diseases,” Reddy said.
The researchers say there’s a need for healthcare providers to be aware of the growing rates of cancer and consider cancer when diagnosing health issues in younger adults.
Awareness of the disparities is crucial, too, to help develop targeted interventions and tailored prevention strategies, Harb said.
“This new evidence adds to the existing body of research that highlights the need for more comprehensive investigations into the potential causes, as well as better strategies for early detection and prevention,” Harb says.
The bottom line:
New research shows that rates of gastrointestinal cancers in younger adults are growing faster than any other type of cancer. Cancers of the colon, rectum, stomach, and pancreas, are the most common types of early-onset cancers, however, they may go undetected as most people aren’t screened for cancer until their mid-40s. The findings highlight the need for early detection and prevention strategies.
Cancer Rates on the Rise for People Under 50, Here's the Groups Affected
Source: Pinoy Lang Sakalam
0 (mga) komento:
Mag-post ng isang Komento