Cancer rates rise in young people. It is not clear why

Cancer rates rise in young people. It is not clear why

Three years ago, Vanessa Chapoy was only 24 years old when she discovered a sized walnut node in her chest. This was followed by a number of medical examinations that finally led to the diagnosis of breast cancer in the second stage. Chapoy's world was turned upside down when they went on the tireless journey of cancer treatments, which included lumpectomy, fertility treatments, chemotherapy and a double mastectomy.

Now, at the age of 27, she still fights with the aftermath of her treatments. As an unfortunate memory of her journey, she suffers from hormone therapy and chemo-brain therapy, cognitive impairment after chemotherapy, early menopause complaints. Chapoy's story is anything but unique; It is becoming increasingly common and symbolizes a worrying trend in our health landscape: the increase in cancer in the early stages.

The astonishing statistics: Cancer in the early stages

cancer, an illness that is usually associated with older adults, has infiltrated the lives of younger people with alarming regularity. Almost 60 % of cancer patients in the United States are diagnosed at the age of 65 or older. In recent decades, however, cancer incidence in people under 50 (so -called cancer in the early stages) has recorded a worrying upward trend.

This alarming increase in cancer rates, known as "oncological tsunami", led to an increase in cases that occurred early in the United States alone between 2000 and 2019. This increase, which is reflected in data from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), has put a slight decline in cancer rates in older adults.

In the youngsters and young adults (Ayas), which defined the demographic group defined by the age range of 15 to 39 years, the increase is even more pronounced and exceeds 20 %. [1]. This growth trend is not restricted by the limits of gender, the breed or organ exclusion. It has penetrated different systems of the body, including the blood, the bone marrow, the gastrointestinal tract and the reproductive organs. In particular, the incidence of breast cancer in the age group of 15 to 39-year-olds in America increased by over 17 % within 19 years, while the colon cancer rates rose by almost 45 %

The causes behind the trend

What is behind this alarming increase? Cancer researchers still try to clarify the relationships, but assume that increasing early detection and overdiagnosis due to improved screening techniques could explain part of the increase, especially in thyroid and prostate cancer [2]. The reason, explains Archie Bleyer, professor of clinical research at the Knight Cancer, is that screenings have led to cancer or other health problems to recognize tumors and masses that would never have been problematic if they had remained undetected, and thus led to a "wrong diagnosis".

The increase in cancer rates in the early stage, however, goes beyond the influence of advanced preventive examinations. Researchers have proposed several environmental and lifestyle changes since the middle of the 20th century that may have contributed to escalation.

role of obesity and lifestyle changes

Under the several proposed factors, obesity stands out as the main suspect. The obesity rates in children and adolescents have increased steadily since the 1960s. Numerous types of cancer, including breast cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer and others that affect the gastrointestinal tract, are associated with obesity. According to Tomotaka Ugai, a lecturer at the Harvard Medical School, the dramatic increase in the cancer caused by obesity indicates that obesity makes a significant contribution to cancer in the early stage [3].

In addition to obesity, western nutrition, sugar-sweetened drinks, processed meat, lack of exercise, reduced physical activity and metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes are also considered as triggering factors. Other risk factors to which Bleyer indicates are the increasing use of diagnostic imaging by which patients are exposed to carcinogenic radiation, and the increasing consumption of cannabis, which is particularly relevant for testicular cancer.

possible genetic and environmentally related trigger

Changes in body size, sleep behavior and the body's microbiome - the community of microorganisms that inhabit our bodies - could also contribute to the increase in cancer in the early stages. Mario's Giannakis, a researcher at the Dana-Farber Gastrointestinal Cancer Center, found that changes in the microbiome, possibly due to eating habits, changes in lifestyle or surgical interventions such as caesarean sections, could play a role in early colon cancer [4].

Giannakis emphasizes that we need more research to better understand the reasons for rising rates, including longitudinal cohort studies that follow the participants over longer periods of time. The "why" could be the key to prevention, he claims.

The consequences: from the diagnosis to survival and beyond

While research continues, the number of cancer diagnoses in adolescents and young adults exceeds 85,000 every year in the United States. Unfortunately, the diagnosis of these patients is often only made in advanced stages when the cancer has already spread in your body. This late detection is often due to rare medical examinations, lack of insurance and a general lack of awareness of cancer in this age group.

The financial effects of cancer

While the disease itself can be a major challenge, your financial effects are also worth a discussion. Since cancer often requires long -term treatment, it can be a significant financial burden for the person concerned and his relatives. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the total annual costs of cancer treatment in the United States will probably increase to $ 173 billion, which illustrates the financial difficulties with which young adults could be confronted after their diagnosis.

In the case of Tatyana Ridgeway, at which breast cancer was diagnosed at the age of 26, she had to give up her work because she underwent four cycles of chemotherapy and proton radiation. Like Chapoy, Ridgeway opted for fertility treatments. This journey made her to rethink her view of life, including her plans for parenthood and expectations of how life in her twenties should develop. Although she managed to preserve some embryos, the associated costs were considerable. Your in vitro fertilization treatments were taken over by the insurance company, but she had to take out a loan in order to cover the costs for cryocke reservations.

Each of Ridgeway's four chemotherapy cycles cost $ 15,000, and their proton radiation was over $ 100,000. "This is without insurance," she said. Chun Chao from the Emperor Permanent Southern California Department of Research & Evaluation indicates that a significant proportion of young adult survivors report financial difficulties related to cancer, including the acceptance of loans, the inclusion of debts or even registration of bankruptcy.

racial differences and cancer

In addition, the lack of diverse representation in cancer research is worth mentioning. When Ridgeway, a black, a cold cap therapy was looking for the hair loss caused by chemotherapy, she found that nobody had been included in studies for this therapy with her hair structure or age group. This experience underlines the continued need for cancer research and clinical studies in order to cover the entire spectrum of the age groups, races and ethnic groups affected by cancer.

Alison Silberman, CEO of Stupid Cancer, a non -profit organization that works for young adults affected by cancer, realizes that this age group is "under -supplied and underrepresented" in cancer research. "In recent decades, awareness has grown in view of the increase in cases," Silberman states. However, it emphasizes the need for further research and sensitization, especially in smaller communities, which may lack the resources of larger academic institutions.

future directions in cancer research

The government also is committed to "reducing the effects of avoidable cancer" by carrying out efforts to reduce the smoking rate and examining the effects of nutrition and lifestyle on cancer incidence. Bleyer points out that the falling lung cancer and melanoma rates in young people are an encouraging example of how preventive strategies can effectively contribute to the containment of cancer incidence.

summary

The progress in understanding and treating cancer in the early stages is promising, but there is still a long way ahead of us. Young adults earn access to the best care and treatment options and an integrative research approach that recognizes the unique challenges that they face. The fight against cancer in young adults is far from over, but steps can be taken with more awareness, research and support to turn the sheet in your favor.

sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc6345192/