Mainstream news headlines are putting a spotlight on the rising number of cancers diagnosed in young people. While still far more common in older populations, incidence in the under 50s is increasing at an alarming rate.
Research in the field suggests that early onset of cancer across multiple oral systems is becoming more common, including digestive cancers, urogenital cancers, and head, neck, and thyroid cancers. This growth is reported in people who don’t present with common risk factors too – 12.5% of lung cancer cases have been diagnosed in young, never smokers. Overall, cancer in young people increased by 6% between the early 2000s and 2022.
In the UK, approximately 3,755 children and young adults aged 0-24 are diagnosed with cancer each year. The only good news is that 5-year survival rates have been improving – they increased from 77% to 84% when comparing diagnoses made in 1997-2001 and those in 2012-2016 in the under 15s. For those aged 15-24, 5-year survival rose from 79% to 87% within the same time period.
Despite progress, there is clearly much more to be done in reducing risk factors, improving early detection, and ensuring effective treatment. The main drivers of these worrying trends are not yet known, but some scientists have suggested that the rise in childhood obesity could be contributing to the problem. A study has shown that BMI remains a major contributing factor to cancer development, emphasising the importance of a maintaining a healthy weight for cancer prevention. Other ways to reduce cancer risk include not smoking, low alcohol consumption, and accessing the HPV vaccine.
Sadly, not all cancers are avoidable, and the collective diseases remain a leading cause of death worldwide, reported as one in 10. The spotlight is on reducing the risks in young people, but everyone should heed the warning and do what they can to live a healthier, happier, and longer life.
>Since you’re here, why not read about summer and oral health?
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