Is it the Food? The Alarming Rise of Cancer in Young Adults

In recent years, a concerning trend has emerged: an increasing number of young adults are being diagnosed with cancer. This rise in early-onset cancers, particularly those affecting the digestive system, has prompted researchers and medical professionals to investigate potential causes, with diet emerging as a significant area of interest.

Globally, cancer rates are on the rise, despite a decline in deaths due to the disease in some countries like the United States, thanks to enhanced screening, reduced smoking rates, and new treatment options. However, early-onset cancers, defined as those occurring in adults under the age of 50, have seen a notable increase in incidence rates. This uptick, combined with global population growth, has led to a nearly 28% rise in deaths from early-onset cancers worldwide between 1990 and 2019. Alarmingly, models suggest that mortality rates could continue to climb.

The types of cancer seeing the most significant increases among young adults are those of the digestive system, including colorectal, pancreatic, and stomach cancers. In the United States, rigorous data collection has highlighted other cancers on the rise among this demographic, such as uterine cancer, which has increased by 2% each year since the mid-1990s among adults younger than 50. Early-onset breast cancer rates also surged by 3.8% per year between 2016 and 2019.

This trend is not uniform across all demographics. In the United States, cancer rates among young adults have risen more rapidly in women than in men, and more so in Hispanic individuals than in non-Hispanic white individuals. Additionally, colorectal cancer rates are increasing faster among American Indian and Alaska Native people than among white individuals. Moreover, Black individuals with early-onset colorectal cancer tend to be diagnosed at younger ages and more advanced stages than their white counterparts.

The shift of cancer to younger demographics has sparked a movement for earlier screening. High-profile cases, such as the death of actor Chadwick Boseman from colon cancer at age 43, have underscored the urgency of this issue. In response, the American Cancer Society recommended in 2018 that individuals begin screening for colorectal cancer starting at age 45, a reduction from the previous guideline of age 50.

The question remains: what is driving this increase in early-onset cancers? While the exact causes are still under investigation, diet has emerged as a key factor of interest. The modern diet, characterized by high consumption of processed foods, red meats, and sugary drinks, has been linked to obesity and cancer risk. Processed foods, in particular, lack essential vitamins and fiber while being high in sugar, fat, and salt. These dietary patterns contribute to weight gain, obesity, and an increased risk of 12 specific cancers, including colorectal cancer.

Researchers are exploring the complex interplay of factors contributing to the rise in early-onset cancers. While no single cause has been identified, it appears to be a combination of many different factors, including diet, lifestyle, and possibly genetic predispositions. Social determinants of health, such as access to healthy foods, lifestyle factors, and systemic racism, may also play a role in the disparities observed in early-onset cancer rates among different demographic groups.

As the medical community continues to investigate the causes of this alarming trend, the importance of early detection and lifestyle modifications, including dietary changes, cannot be overstated. The rise in early-onset cancers among young adults serves as a stark reminder of the need for increased awareness, research, and preventive measures to combat this growing public health concern.