For certain cancers, like colorectal cancer and breast cancer, Black men and women are more likely to get the disease and more likely to die from it than people in other racial groups. Why? The reasons are complex, but partly because colorectal cancer is less likely to be prevented or detected early by screening, when it’s most treatable. As for breast cancer, although the new cases are virtually the same for white and Black women there is a higher incidence rate for Black women under age 45
May 2023
Why Are Younger People Getting Cancer?
If it seems like younger people are getting cancer more often, you’re right. Although cancer mostly affects people ages 50 and older, recent years have brought a shift.
For instance, many people were shocked when actor Chadwick Boseman, star of Black Panther, and Dustin Diamond, who played Screech on TV’s Saved by the Bell, died of cancer in their 40s. And due to escalating rates of colorectal cancer among younger people, health experts now recommend that screening start at age 45 instead of 50.
Now, there’s more data to back this concerning trend. A recent research review crunched the numbers for 14 types of cancer, including breast, prostate, and pancreatic. The review found that, since the 1990s, rates increased worldwide for all those cancers among adults younger than 50.
Revealing the risk factors
The study authors also shed some light on why this might be happening. Lifestyle changes since the mid-20th century that increase cancer risk may only now be having an effect on adult cancer rates, they suggest.
These include:
Diets high in processed foods and sugars
Less physically demanding jobs and more time spent sitting
Greater alcohol consumption
Children getting less sleep
More adults working night shifts, which is linked to cancer risks such as obesity and diabetes
Increased rates of type 2 diabetes, which boosts the risk for liver, breast, and other cancers
Risk factors that affect children and young adults may have a greater impact on cancer rates in the future, the authors point out.
Take action for prevention
As the findings demonstrate, it’s never too early to think about cancer prevention. You can make healthy changes at any age. These include:
Stop drinking alcohol or cut back. If you drink, limit yourself to no more than one drink per day for women or two for men.
Follow a healthy eating pattern rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Limit red meat, processed foods, and sugary drinks.
Avoid all forms of tobacco.
Move more. Work your way up to at least two and a half hours of moderate exercise per week. Kids should get 60 minutes of activity per day.
Talk with your healthcare provider about your risk factors and recommended cancer screenings. Discuss other steps that might keep you healthier longer.
Sources: StayWell, National Cancer Institute, and "Health and Racial Disparity in Breast Cancer, " Yedjou CG, Sims JN, Miele L, Noubissi F, Lowe L, Fonseca DD, Alo RA, Payton M, Tchounwou PB. Health and Racial Disparity in Breast Cancer. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2019;1152:31-49. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-20301-6_3. PMID: 31456178; PMCID: PMC6941147.