LOS ANGELES, May 8 (Xinhua) -- A new study by researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) has revealed a concerning rise in the incidence of several cancer types among individuals under age 50 in the United States between 2010 and 2019.
According to the findings, published Thursday in the journal Cancer Discovery, the incidence of 14 out of 33 analyzed cancer types increased in at least one younger age group. Notably, common cancers such as female breast, colorectal, kidney, and uterine cancers saw marked increases, with some of these also rising among older adults.
"This study provides a starting point for understanding which cancers are increasing among individuals under age 50," said lead investigator Meredith Shiels, Ph.D., of NIH's National Cancer Institute. "The causes of these increases are likely to be cancer specific, including cancer risk factors becoming more common at younger ages, changes in cancer screening or detection, and updates to clinical diagnosis or coding of cancers."
Using data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and national mortality records, researchers examined cancer incidence from 2010 to 2019 and mortality trends through 2022, across six age groups.
Although 14 cancers rose in early-onset age brackets, 19 other cancer types -- such as lung and prostate cancers -- declined, resulting in a stable overall cancer incidence and mortality rate, according to the study.
Among the rising cancers in younger populations, female breast cancer showed the largest increase, with approximately 4,800 more cases diagnosed in 2019 than would have been expected based on 2010 rates.
Colorectal, kidney, uterine, and pancreatic cancers also contributed significantly, collectively accounting for more than 80 percent of the additional early-onset cases in 2019, the study shows. ■