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A shocking revelation -

The announcement by Catherine, Princess of Wales that she was receiving treatment for cancer left many observers shocked. The princess, who at the time was 42 years old, revealed her diagnosis in a video statement in March 2024.

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No surprise -

While much of the world was saddened to learn of Kate's diagnosis, oncologists, while expressing sympathy, were hardly surprised.

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A global trend -

Kate's condition is part of a troubling global trend that has seen cancer cases grow by 79% in young people. And the numbers continue to rise.

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Early-onset cancer -

In fact, the global incidence of early-onset cancer increased by 79.1% to be precise, and early-onset cancer deaths rose by 27.7% from 1990 to 2019, a 2023 study in the journal BMJ Oncology found.

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What is early-onset cancer? -

Early-onset cancer is defined as happening in adults under 50 years of age.

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No longer the preserve of the elderly -

As well as highlighting this alarming spike in early-onset cancer, the statistics kick into touch the long-held myth that cancer is the preserve of older people.

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Why is this happening? -

And with cases of early-onset cancer increasing exponentially, there's an added urgency to identify why this rise in cancer in young people is unfolding.

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Genetics is a factor -

Researchers behind the 2023 report analyzed data from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study for 29 cancers in 204 countries and regions. They concluded that while genetics were likely to have contributed to the rise in early-onset cancer, nutrition and lifestyle are also playing major roles in the upturn in cancers found in the under 50s.

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Obesity -

One factor immediately identified was obesity among those under 50 years old.

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Excessive alcohol consumption -

Increased alcohol consumption has also contributed to the spike in early-onset cancer.

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Smoking -

Other main risk factors include smoking. The poisons in tobacco smoke can damage or alter a cell's DNA. When DNA is compromised, a cell can begin growing out of control and create a cancer tumor.

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High meat diet -

In addition, diets high in meat and salt content but low in fruit and milk are contributing to increased incidences of early-onset cancer.

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Sedentary lifestyle -

Lack of physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle is also promoting the rise in cancer rates among young adults, the study found.

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Regions with the highest rates -

North America, Australasia, and Western Europe are the regions with the highest rates of early-onset cancers.

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Cancer Research UK -

Interestingly, researchers pointed out that rates in the United Kingdom stabilized from 2010 to 2019—with the annual mortality rate from early-onset cancer steadily decreasing.

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Higher incidence rate among young adults -

However, Cancer Research UK qualifies this statistic by pointing out that the incidence rate among younger Brits (aged between 25-49) is now 162.4 cases per 100,000 people each year. This is 22% higher than the figure in the 1990s, reports the MailOnline.

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Breast cancer -

According to the study carried by BMJ Oncology, breast cancer made up the largest proportion of cases—13.7 per every 100,000 people.

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Tracheal and prostate cancers -

Worryingly, tracheal and prostate cancers are growing the fastest, at 2.28% and 2.23% per year, respectively.

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Dangers of prostate cancer -

Prostate cancer, by the way, is the most common cancer in men. According to Prostate Cancer UK, more than 52,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year on average. Every 45 minutes one man dies from prostate cancer in the UK alone—that's more than 12,000 men every year.

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Fall in liver cancer cases -

One bit of good news to come out of the study was that early-onset liver cancer cases fell by 2.88% each year.

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Where else does the blame lie? -

"Obesity and lifestyle alone cannot account for all the young patients being diagnosed," says Dr. Jalal Baig, a hematology/oncology fellow at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

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"Beyond science's grasp" -

Writing an opinion piece for CNN, Baig points out that many of the younger cancer patients under his care "are healthy, eat judiciously and exercise regularly." An explanation for their diseases, he adds, "still remains beyond science's grasp."

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Growing concern -

Baig is certain of one thing, though. "Underdiagnosis of these early-onset cancers is prevalent and consequential."

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More awareness needed -

"Primary care physicians need to be educated on the rising presence of cancer in those younger than 50," he urges. "Age should not be used to downplay a presenting patient's symptoms."

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Get it checked out -

"People should not neglect persistent symptoms of any kind and be cognizant of a family history of cancer," he adds.

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Contributory factors -

Actually, a greater awareness of symptoms may be one of the reasons for the rise in numbers of early-onset cancer. Another reason is better cancer detection methods. And better screening of genetic conditions that increase cancer risk can also be regarded as a contributory factor.

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No definitive reason -

But as Baig admits, there is no definitive reason for the rise in early-onset cancer.

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No definitive answer -

Professor Karol Sikora, speaking to MailOnline, is equally puzzled. "The truth is we just don't know. The causes of cancer are locked into a population many years before they become apparent," he said.

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Unhealthy lifestyle -

"I believe its probably due to lifestyle changes—obesity, fatty diet, sedentary behavior, sitting at desks all day and of course better diagnostics," said Sikora, who is a leading world authority on cancer.

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Maintain a better lifestyle -

For the moment, the best advice physicians can offer people of any age concerned about their cancer risk is to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. "Even as considerable advances have been made in cancer outcomes, true progress can't be declared if certain age groups are worryingly falling behind," underlines Baig.

Sources: (BBC) (BMJ Oncology) (CDC) (American Cancer Society) (Cancer Research UK) (MailOnline) (Yale Medicine) (Prostate Cancer UK) (CNN) (Sky News)

See also: Common things that could raise your cancer risk

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