The first alarm bells rang a year ago, when leading oncologists in the United States warned that they were observing an increase in the incidence of all types of cancer in the young population. In this broad group, those most concerned were adults aged between 30 and 39, where the growth in the number of diagnoses was most striking.
Traditionally cancer has been considered a disease that affects people over 60 years of age, but recent data suggest a marked increase in the incidence of organ cancer among patients under 50 years of age. Specifically, from the 79% in the last 30 years, According to a recent study published in the journal BMJ Oncology, young people today suffer up to three times as many cases as their grandparents did when they were their age.
These tumors affect a variety of organs, including the breast, colon, pancreas, head and neck, kidney, and reproductive organs.
About the causesit has been referenced that they could be diverse. Among them, pollution, obesity and an unhealthy lifestyle that includes alcohol, tobacco, a sedentary lifestyle and little sleep. In addition, factors beyond human control could also influence, such as exposure to cancer-causing chemicals.
Other research points to genetic and epigenetic alterations.
Data on the link between pollution and cancer risk have already been presented at the 2023 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress. For now, there are more questions than answers.
However, the oncologists present at this year’s edition of this congress, which is being held these days in Barcelona, have sent a clear message to the population under 60 years of age: Seek medical advice if you experience symptoms of fatigue, weight loss or malaise.
Children under this age, unless they are at risk due to other factors, tend to take longer to be diagnosed, precisely because they do not believe they may have a tumor, and because the symptoms often go unnoticed.
