Cancer cases rise among younger people; poor diet, smoking, alcohol, obesity linked to trend

The rise in cancer cases among younger people is becoming a growing concern. New research has found sharp increases in seven types of early-onset cancer in England, with significant rises also seen in the US and the Netherlands.

According to a report in The Guardian, analysis of cancer data by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) showed significant increases in early-onset cancer for seven types in England, five in the US, and four in the Netherlands. Researchers suggested that this trend could be partly linked to factors such as growing obesity, poor diets, insufficient exercise, alcohol consumption, smoking, and environmental exposures. Greater awareness and earlier diagnosis may also be contributing.

In England, prostate cancer among men under 50 quadrupled between 2001 and 2023, rising from 1 case per 100,000 people to 3.6. Bowel cancer in the same age group more than doubled, increasing from 3.9 to 8.4 cases per 100,000 during this period, it said.

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Early-onset uterine and kidney cancers also doubled, reaching 3.9 and 3 cases per 100,000 respectively. Breast cancer increased moderately from 42 to 47.5 cases per 100,000, while pancreatic and liver cancers also showed a rise.

In the US, kidney cancer among people under 50 more than doubled from 2.5 cases per 100,000 in 2000 to 5.3 in 2023. Bowel, uterine, and pancreatic cancers increased by more than 50%, while breast cancer rose by about 20%.

Researchers found significant increases in early-onset bowel, kidney, liver, and cervical cancers in the Netherlands. By contrast, lung cancer rates among people under 50 declined in all three countries, reflecting continued declines in smoking.

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Cancer remains much more common among older adults, with the median age at diagnosis above 60. However, Mark Lawler, professor of digital health at Queen’s University Belfast, described the trend among younger people as "a ticking timebomb".

The WCRF said around 40% of cancers are linked to modifiable risks but noted that increased diagnosis does not explain the entire rise in early-onset cases.

A new King’s College London trial involving 250,000 people, funded by Cancer Research UK, will investigate the rise in bowel cancer among younger adults and examine the balance between worsening risk factors and better detection.