Under-50 Cancer Diagnosis Rates Have Increased Significantly, Resulting in More Deaths
A new report based on data from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study has revealed a distressing trend – cancer diagnosis rates among individuals under the age of 50 have risen by a staggering 79.1 percent globally over the past three decades. This increase has also led to a 27.7 percent rise in deaths caused by cancer in this age group.
The study, conducted by researchers from Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China, analyzed data from 204 countries and encompassed 29 different types of cancer. It challenges common perceptions about the types of cancer that affect younger individuals.
According to the report, there were 1.82 million cancer cases in 14 to 49-year-olds in 1990. However, by 2019, this figure had risen to 3.26 million. This highlights the urgent need for early diagnosis and targeted treatment. The researchers argue that healthcare professionals should prioritize promoting preventative lifestyles to young people, including adopting healthy diets, restricting tobacco and alcohol use, and engaging in physical activity.
The report also predicts that new cases of early-onset cancer, defined as occurring before the age of 50, are expected to increase by 31 percent worldwide by 2030, accompanied by a corresponding 21 percent increase in deaths. The age group most at risk is individuals between 40 and 49 years old.
In 2019 alone, over 1 million people below the age of 50 died from cancer. Breast cancer was responsible for the most deaths overall, followed by windpipe, lung, bowel, and stomach cancers. Breast cancer also had the highest number of cases in this age group, with windpipe and prostate cancers experiencing the fastest increase since 1990. Conversely, early-onset liver cancer diagnoses decreased.
Stephen Duffy, a statistician from Queen Mary University of London, suggests a possible explanation for some of these trends. Duffy speculates that effective vaccinations against the hepatitis B virus have resulted in a decline in liver cancer cases. However, nasopharyngeal cancer cases, caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, continue to rise due to the lack of an effective vaccination.
While genetics play a role in some cancer cases, the researchers emphasize that several preventable factors contribute to the development of cancer. These factors include dietary risks, alcohol consumption, tobacco use, inactive lifestyles, air pollution, obesity, diabetes, and high blood sugar.
Previous studies mainly focused on regional differences in the incidence of cancer in adults under the age of 50. Insufficient research has been conducted to determine the pattern of risk factors for serious early-onset cancers, the prevalence of cancer across different socioeconomic groups, or the global disease burden.
The study’s global nature is a significant strength, shedding light on variations across regions and emphasizing the need for understanding specific risk factors for different populations. In 2019, the highest rates of early-onset cancer were observed in North America, Australasia, and Western Europe. Low- and middle-income countries experienced different effects, with Oceania, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia exhibiting the highest death rates. These countries faced disproportionately high death rates and health issues, particularly impacting women.
The study does have limitations, such as variations in data quality across countries, the possibility of underreporting, and an unclear assessment of the effects of screening and early-life environmental factors.
Cell biologist Dorothy Bennett from St George’s, University of London, urges contextualizing the data within the context of population growth. Despite the increased number of cancer diagnoses, the percentage increase in cancer deaths (28 percent) is lower than the increases in total population and case numbers, implying a decrease in the average cancer death rate in this age group.
To combat these alarming trends, prevention is key. The evidence indicates that investing in research and public and medical professional education is crucial to promoting long and healthy lives.
The study has been published in BMJ Oncology.