Cancer now ranks among the fifth leading causes of death for adults ages 20 to 39, yet young patients nationwide frequently experience diagnostic delays. A University at Buffalo study shows that individuals often wait months or years after noticing symptoms, frequently blaming stress before receiving dismissed concerns from physicians.
When Natasha Allard’s close friend Dave received a Stage 4 testicular cancer diagnosis at age 26, the experience altered her career path. Working at the time in marketing and communications at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, she discovered that cancer diagnoses are rising among young adults while remaining steady or declining in older populations.
This realization led Allard to pursue a doctorate in community health and health behavior at the University at Buffalo, where she worked under the mentorship of Heather Orom. Allard published her findings on August 22 in the journal Cancer Causes & Control, co-authored by Orom, Thomas Feeley from the University at Buffalo Department of Communication, two researchers from Roswell Park, and one from Hunter College’s Department of Psychology.
According to the American Cancer Society, cancer represents the fifth largest cause of death for adults between 20 and 39 years old, and stands as the leading cause of disease-related death for young adult females.
Patients Blame Stress While Doctors Dismiss Symptoms
At the beginning of 2023, Allard conducted nationwide interviews with 30 individuals diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 20 and 39. Participants were an average age of 28 at diagnosis and roughly four years past their diagnosis date.
Many study participants reported that they delayed seeking medical care because they attributed early physical signs to stress, noting that young adulthood involves significant life changes such as new jobs, new living arrangements, and new friendships. Online searches often added to the delay by offering unclear guidance or downplaying symptoms. Some patients lacked awareness regarding which bodily changes warranted medical attention.
One participant experienced abnormal bleeding for a year, assuming her body was simply built differently, before receiving a cervical cancer diagnosis at age 35, according to the research.
While patient delays were anticipated, Allard noted she was surprised by how frequently physicians dismissed warning signs.
- A patient reporting rectal bleeding was advised by a provider to try a gluten-free diet, and was later diagnosed with colorectal cancer at age 39.
- A 23-year-old patient experiencing brain cancer symptoms was sent home with a sleep aid.
- A 27-year-old patient experiencing brain cancer required three or four medical visits before a doctor ordered an MRI.
Allard acknowledged that physicians operate under constraints such as overloaded schedules and insurance limitations, and pointed out that cancer remains rare in young adults while fatigue and headaches typically stem from less serious conditions. Nonetheless, she noted that persistent symptoms require investigation.
If you’re not going to order any clinical testing for a patient who has had severe headaches for months, then you need to ask the right questions and explain the plan clearly, so they don’t walk away feeling completely dismissed or completely terrified.
Natasha Allard, University at Buffalo postdoctoral associate
Researchers Call For Public Health Campaigns
The research suggests a need for targeted public health communication, including social media campaigns in spaces frequented by young adults to help them recognize cancer warning signs. Allard advocates for messaging that clarifies that physical symptoms tied to stress should not be normalized.
Allard also points to the need for system-level fixes, from insurance coverage to access to care.
Allard’s friend Dave, whose diagnosis initially inspired her research focus, died at age 31. Allard dedicated her dissertation to his memory.