a message from Asbury’s Health Ministry Team
Clinicians are seeing a rise in early-onset cancers. Why?…
In younger adults, rates are rising for more than a dozen cancers, including those of the gut, skin, blood, and reproductive and endocrine systems. The rise in early-onset cancers cannot be explained by improved access to screening, since screening is not recommended at these early ages. Unfortunately, as a result, cancer is not detected until later stages which then involves more aggressive treatment. Genetics also cannot explain the rise, because if genetics were the reason for this trend, the trend would be gradual and not the sharp increases that are being seen.
Large population studies have generally supported that rising obesity rates are to blame, since excess fat tissue can cause an increase in inflammation and tumor growth. Other scientists believe that obesity may be a proxy for underlying factors as poor diets and sedentary lifestyles. Studies are looking at some of these underlying factors. For example, excessive consumption of processed foods with soybean, corn, and sunflower oil can cause chronic inflammation in the gut, damage DNA, and trigger malignant changes (Gabre). Also, early lifestyle choices such as a decline in physical activity among adolescents and younger adults may promote early onset breast cancer (Kehn). More studies need to be done to further understand the rising cancer rates in younger people.
Source: Craig, David J, (2025). Columbia, Spring/Summer, pp. 28-31.