GenX, Millennials Are At Greater Risk Of Cancer

According to a recent study undertaken by the American Cancer Society (ACS), Generation X and Millennials are more likely to develop and die from specific diseases than earlier generations.

How was the study conducted?

The study examined 34 types of cancer in 23 million persons born in the United States between 1920 and 1990.

Researchers discovered that cancer rates have risen with each subsequent generation. According to experts, this increase is due to a combination of lifestyle, environmental factors, and screening and detection delays.

What did the study find?

The study highlighted 17 cancers with higher incidence rates in younger generations. These include:

• Breast, liver, ovarian, colorectal, uterine, pancreatic, and testicular cancers
• Non-HPV-associated oral and pharynx cancer
• Myeloma, leukemia, and Kaposi sarcoma
• Two types of gastric cancer
• Gallbladder, kidney, small intestine, and anal cancers

For example, kidney and small intestinal cancer rates are up to three times higher among those born in 1990 compared to those born in 1955. Similarly, the study found that liver cancer rates have tripled among Millennial women compared to Baby Boomers.

The study also shows that younger men have seen significant increases in anal cancer and Kaposi sarcoma, which affects cells lining lymph or blood vessels.

Why is there in the cancer cases among youth?

While the study doesn’t definitively explain why these cancers are on the rise, experts suggest several possible factors:

• Diet and Lifestyle: Poor dietary habits, risky behaviors, and obesity are strongly linked to early-onset cancers. The study finds that obesity is associated with at least 9 cancers, including breast, colorectal, uterine, and liver cancers.

• Environmental Exposures: Carcinogenic viruses, environmental contaminants, and reproductive changes may all contribute to the increase in rates.

• Microbiome Changes: Gut health changes may have an impact, but more study is needed to prove this connection.

Impact of Aggressive Cancers

The study discovered that 5 cancers—liver, uterine, gallbladder, testicular, and colorectal—are growing more common and are also more lethal, especially among the younger generations.

As of 2021, around 40% of eligible individuals in the United States had not completed their colon cancer screenings. The United States Preventive Services Task Force advises that people aged 45 to 75 get colon cancer screenings every ten years.

Advances in Screening Technologies

New technologies may improve early detection rates and outcomes. For example, the FDA recently approved the Shield test, a DNA-based blood test for early-stage colon cancer. While it detects 83% of colon cancers, it falls short of the 95% accuracy rate achieved by traditional colonoscopies.

Tips for Reducing Risk

Experts also encourage for a well-balanced diet, exercising, quitting smoking, and reducing alcohol use to lower cancer risk. Regular screenings and thorough monitoring of symptoms are critical for preventing and managing cancer in young people.

Addressing these concerns allows people and public health agencies to collaborate to reverse unfavorable trends and enhance health outcomes for future generations.