The recent warning from the Spanish Society Against Cancer has set off alarm bells. The statistics show an alarming increase in cancer among those under the age of 50, which has increased by as much as 80% since the 1990s. This alarming increase raises questions not only about the reasons for this development, but also about the efficiency of the Spanish health care system and the need for preventive measures.
Cancer has become the leading cause of death in the country, even ahead of cardiovascular disease. Of the 433,163 deaths recorded in 2023, nearly 27% were related to some form of cancer.
Age is a critical factor in tumor development. he is National Institute of Health in the USA reports that there are only less than 25 cases per 100,000 inhabitants up to the age of 20, and above the age of 60 this number is on average more than 1000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
But the recent decades more and more cases have been diagnosed in young people. This increase is a source of concern for the medical and scientific community, who believe it is important to investigate the reasons behind these alarming figures.
2023 study published in BMJ Oncologyshows that there are more cancer cases worldwide in people under the age of 50. The study compares cancer diagnoses in 2019 with those in 1990. In 2019, no less than 1.82 million new diagnoses were made in people under the age of 50, which is an increase of 79% compared to 1990.
Although the study does not describe the situation in Spain in terms of events among young people, it provides information about Western Europe. It shows that the incidence in 1990 was 118 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and in 2019 it increased to 126, which represents an increase of 6.3%.
Although genetic factors play a role, a diet high in red meat and salt, and low in fruit and dairy, as well as alcohol and tobacco use, are the main risk factors found for common cancers in people under age 50.
In addition to lifestyle, some experts say that this increase may be related to the improved early detection methods available today. For example, today’s digital mammography is more accurate than the tests done 30 years ago.