The United States is expected to see a record 2 million cancer cases this year.
That’s because cancer rates are rising among those under 50, according to the American Cancer Society’s annual cancer statistics report.
“As a nation, we have dropped the ball on cancer prevention as the incidence continues to rise for many common cancers – such as breast, prostate and endometrial cancers, as well as colon and cervical cancer in some young adults,” said Rebecca Siegel, v .scientific director, surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report, according to the release.
In fact, colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in men under 50 and the second leading cause of cancer death in women under 50. (Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women under 50.)
Mammography is an important tool for detecting breast cancer.
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Colorectal cancer affects blacks even more. The report notes more racial disparities, saying that “death rates are twice as high for prostate, stomach, and uterine cancers in blacks and for liver, stomach, and kidney cancers in Native Americans.”
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“This report underscores the need for public policy interventions to reduce these cancer disparities and save more lives,” said Lisa A. Lacasse, president of ACS’ advocacy arm, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
And while cancer death rates in general are on the decline, rates of colon cancer among the under-50s are rising — and fast.
“The continued sharp increase in colon cancer among younger Americans is alarming,” said Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, senior vice president, surveillance and health equity in science at the American Cancer Society and senior author of the study.
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“We must stop and reverse this trend by increasing uptake of screening, including awareness of non-invasive stool tests with follow-up care, among people aged 45 to 49,” he continued. “Up to one third of people diagnosed before 50 have a family history or genetic predisposition and should start screening before age 45. We also need to increase investment to elucidate the underlying reasons for the increasing incidence to discover additional preventive measures.”
The problem is that younger people who are not part of historically at-risk age groups are less likely to get screened. In addition, patients under the age of 65 are less likely to have health insurance, according to the report, leading to fewer doctor visits.
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“People under 65 are less likely to have health insurance and more likely to juggle family and career,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society.
He added: “Also, men and women diagnosed at a younger age have a longer life expectancy where they may suffer from treatment-related side effects, such as secondary cancer.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education