Since 1990, the number of adults under the age of 50 who develop cancer has increased dramatically worldwide. In an article published in the magazine Nature Reviews Clinical OncologyAnd the Researchers have reported trying to determine whether early cancer is an emerging global epidemic. Judging by the study results, the answer is yes, and not just because of improved screening techniques.
If there is nothing revolutionary about the fact that cancer is constantly evolving in our time, then its impact on a greater number of people under the age of 50 would, on the other hand, be a real discovery. In this study was quoted by ScienceAlert, Shoji Ogino, MD, a pathologist and epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, finds that, in fact, The risk of early cancer increases with each generation..
“Adults under 50 years of age who were born in 1960 have a higher risk of developing cancer than those born in 1950, and we expect this risk to continue to increase over generations.”continued.
To reach these conclusions, the research team interested in people She was born between 1950 and 1990, and has been studying cancer risk since the 1990s. The review examined more than fourteen different types of cancer. Global data on the disease also revealed an evolution in the incidence of cancer in people under 50 years of age between 2000 and 2012.
The researchers did not stop there and tried to shed light on the factors that explain the continued development of early cancers by reviewing all available studies.
The factors involved
It is clear that the increase in screening plays a role in detecting a greater number of early cancers. However, according to the researchers, this parameter is not able to explain the phenomenon alone, especially since countries without a screening program are also experiencing an unprecedented rate of early cancers.
In addition, lifestyles have changed dramatically—particularly since the advent of highly processed foods—and evidence suggests that a combination of diet, lifestyle, weight, environmental exposure, and the microbiome (the group of microorganisms and their genes that live in a particular environment) may be involved.
“Of the fourteen types of growing cancers we studied, eight were related to the gastrointestinal tract”And the Epidemiologist Tomotaka Ogai says:from Harvard Medical School.
Another interesting fact: Although the sleep duration of adults has not changed drastically in recent decades, children, on the other hand, sleep much less, the researchers report. Thus, one of the long-term goals is to be able to educate people to live healthier lives from their early years, in order to reduce the risk of early cancer.
Sophie Laurent is a contributor to Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting that helps readers stay informed about current events and issues that matter to their communities. Sophie is committed to presenting accurate information, practical insights, and relevant stories in a straightforward and reader-friendly manner, making complex topics accessible to a broad audience.