Cancers on the rise among those under 50
The surprising and sad announcement of the condition of the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, who at just 42 years of age has cancer, has confirmed a worrying trend revealed by various studies. The trend is that of a growing trend of the pathology among young adults, those under 50. A trend that is worrying for the impacts on health and national healthcare costs. Also because it is useful to remember that cancer is the main cause of death in the world. The WHO notes that, in 2020, this disease fatally affected as many as 10 million people. The journal BMJ Oncology estimated, from a study, that the global incidence of cancer among those under 50 years of age has increased by 79% in thirty years. Even if, as many researchers say, further investigation is needed, there are three risk factors in the dock for this trend, in particular processed foods, alcohol consumption and tobacco.
Tumors, normally the older you get the more the risks of developing tumors increase
Age always remains the main risk factor for the development of tumor pathology. The older you get, the greater the risk that the body's control systems will fail and these errors will occur. In recent years, however, the scientific community has identified that a significant increase is occurring in young people and it is hypothesized that environmental factors, nutrition or exposure to substances may be co-responsible. Jama Network Open claimed that, between 2010 and 2019, the highest incidence of cancers at an early age was in breast cancer, but the fastest growth was seen in gastrointestinal cancers (colon or stomach cancer). This is followed by tumors of the urinary system and the female reproductive system. In addition, the prestigious journal Science has confirmed that early-onset colon cancer is increasing worldwide and is predicted to become the leading cause of cancer-related death in people aged 20 to 49 in the United States by 2030.
Tumors, a diet rich in meat, obesity and lack of physical activity are among the risk factors
And always among the first risk factors for cancer among younger people are de novo genetic alterations, environmental factors, lifestyle changes, obesity, diet rich in red or processed meat and lack of physical activity. But the psychological aspect must also be carefully considered. Tumor in a young person has a great impact in psychological terms. Many psychologists and oncologists agree that the common sense of the life cycle of a young person, who perhaps has young children, is broken. There is more hostility, more anxiety and a feeling of injustice. Studies show that in young women, if there are small children, the first thing they think about is them. In any case, the way in which a cancer patient copes with the disease depends on numerous variables. As they age, the elderly tend to show more “serenity” in the prognosis of the tumor or in relation to the individual life context. The impact on young people is usually “greater”. Under 50 is something more unexpected and the greatest fear is that the life plan could be dramatically interrupted.