The Reason Cancer is on the Rise in Young Adults

Over the course of 20 years, from 1999 to 2019, the number of people under the age of 50 diagnosed with cancer has increased by 15%. And the National Cancer Institute is trying to figure out why. 

And of those women, the most common cancers were rectum, thyroid, colon, and breast. Though they also noted that the fastest-growing cancers among the younger generation are those of the appendix and intrahepatic bile duct. 

And according to their research, this kind of cancer of the digestive tract has increased by 15% over the course of just 10 years. 

In fact, a person born in 1950 is four times less likely to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer than a person born in 1990.

And the majority of scientists and physicians agree that the most likely cause of the significant increase in digestive and colorectal cancers among Americans between the ages of 15 and 50 is simply the change in lifestyle.

And researchers at the International Agency for Research on Cancer found that an “increased consumption of ultra-processed foods is linked to an elevated risk of multimorbidity involving cancer and cardiometabolic diseases.”

America’s obesity rate is rising constantly. Today, 42.4% of Americans are obese, and 9.2% have severe obesity. And according to a paper published in Lancet Public Health, researchers found that, “The risk of developing an obesity-related cancer seems to be increasing in a stepwise manner in successively younger birth cohorts.” In other words, as the obesity rate rises in young Americans, so do cancer diagnoses. 

Gastrointestinal oncologist and founder of the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center, Dr. Kimmie Ng, explained, “I can tell you just from seeing so many young patients in my clinic that many of them—most of them actually—are not obese. They’re healthy. They’re often marathon runners, and they often follow a healthy diet and eat organically. There’s something else going on.”

Dr. Sung said, “We need more studies to look into all the lifetime exposures to identify those risk factors and those results should be able to inform how we can prevent and detect all of these cancers.”

As Dr. Ng explained, “This is really the ‘sandwich generation’—many of these people are parents who are also taking care of their own elderly parents.” 

Some doctors say it would help, while others believe that more research needs to be done to understand genetic predisposition to the disease instead. But they all agree that primary care physicians should certainly be on the lookout for symptoms at every checkup and on all blood tests, regardless of age. 

In fact, according to a study conducted by The Lancet Oncology, cancer is the fourth most common cause of death on the planet for those aged 15 to 39. And if cases keep increasing as they have been, it may soon make its way up that list. 

From fizzy drinks to cereals and packaged snacks to processed meat, these foods contribute to an alarming trend in the standard American diet. While obesity and lack of physical activity are well-recognized health concerns, the unprecedented consumption of ultra-processed foods poses a new and possibly underestimated risk.

In a commentary published in The American Journal of Medicine, the authors emphasize the misalignment between the entertainment industry, the food industry, public policy, and the health needs of patients.

The American College of Cardiology advises patients to opt for minimally processed foods, but there’s a challenge in defining ultra-processed foods precisely, leading to ambiguity in dietary guidelines.

The latter includes industrially made foods with ingredients uncommon in domestic kitchens. The hazards associated with ultra-processed foods extend beyond additives, as they may create a dysbiotic microbiome in the gastrointestinal tract, potentially promoting diseases.

The authors highlight that maintaining a proper mucous layer is crucial, as disruptions, caused by additives like carrageenan, polysorbate-80, and cellulose gum, may lead to vulnerability and trigger immunologic responses.

The authors underscore the need for direct testing in analytic studies to determine the contribution of ultra-processed foods to rising non-communicable diseases. In the interim, healthcare professionals are urged to discuss the benefits of whole foods and advocate for reducing the consumption of ultra-processed foods with their patients.