Cancer among the young is becoming more common
Increased screening and early exposure to risk factors likely account for the rise
Data from several countries suggest that many types of malignancies are on the rise in people younger than 50 , with researchers cautioning the increase could hit epidemic proportions .
For example , colorectal cancer in young adults climbed by an average of two percent in the US , Australia , Canada , France , and Japan , while growing by about five percent in Korea and Ecuador .
“ It doesn ’ t seem big , but you can think about inflation : If it ’ s 2 % every year , it ’ s going to be a big change in 10 years or 20 years , you know ?” Dr Shuji Ogino , a professor of pathology at the Harvard T . H . Chan School of Public Health and co-author of the study , told CNN . “ It ’ s not trivial .” Upward trends have been recorded for breast , prostate , thyroid , and pancreatic cancers as well . In the first three , the growing incidence can be partially explained by increased screening , but the same isn ’ t true for other malignancies that also have increased incidence .
The authors acknowledge the root causes for such increases aren ’ t entirely clear , but they are probably related to exposure to risk factors in early life and as young adulthoods .
“ The increased consumption of highly processed or westernized foods together with changes in lifestyle , the environment , morbidities and other factors might all have contributed to such changes in exposures ,” they wrote .
They added that more studies on early-onset cancers were needed to fill research gaps , along improved awareness among the public about the rising incidence of these malignancies in younger patients and the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle , in particular a healthy diet , to reduce the risk of cancer .
WHO starts campaign to give cancer patients a voice
Publicising the lived experiences of people affected by cancer can help policymakers design programmes and solutions
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) has launched a global survey to better understand the needs of patients living with cancer . It ’ s part of the more ambitious Framework for Meaningful Engagement of People Living with Noncommunicable Diseases ( PLWNCD ) that aims to amplify the voices of people affected by the disease , including patients , caregivers , and the bereaved .
The survey results will help decision-makers take into account the perspectives of people affected by the dreadful disease when it comes to designing policies , programmes , and solutions .
“ For too long , the focus in cancer control has been on clinical care and not on the broader needs of people affected by cancer ,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , Director-General of the World Health Organization , in a press release . “ Global cancer policies must be shaped by more than data and scientific research , to include the voices and insight of people impacted by the disease .”
People diagnosed with cancer often experience anxiety and loss of faith while also being abandoned by their partners . In low-and-middle-income countries , they may also face financial difficulties due to treatment costs .
The survey aims to interview more than 100,000 people from 100 countries , with the results published in early 2023 . “ This campaign will include four phases : releasing the global survey , hosting national consultations , presenting best practices and implementing community-led initiatives . We are ready to open a new chapter and improve the well-being of people affected by cancer ,” explained Dr Bente Mikkelsen , Director of the Department of Noncommunicable Diseases at WHO , in the press release .
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