Cancer is getting younger: which types increasingly affect people under 40

British researchers have found a rise in 11 types of cancer among people aged 20-40. Likely causes include obesity, ultra-processed foods, PFAS, and antibiotics. The case of 23-year-old Bradley Coombs, who died due to late diagnosis, is described. The risk for young people remains lower than for older age groups.

British researchers conducted a large-scale study of medical statistics in England and found a worrying trend: 11 types of cancer are now being diagnosed more often in people aged 20 to 40. Scientists cannot yet name a single cause, but among the most likely factors they cite the spread of obesity and changes in modern lifestyle. This is reported by the BBC, citing the study's results. One serious problem, experts say, is that cancer symptoms in young patients are often underestimated. Doctors may attribute certain complaints to less dangerous conditions because of the patient's age, sometimes leading to significant delays in diagnosis. A telling case is that of 23-year-old Briton Bradley Coombs. The young man was in excellent physical shape and hoped to sign a contract with a football club. However, he then began to experience rapid weight loss, abdominal pain, and bleeding. According to Bradley's mother, despite pronounced symptoms, a correct diagnosis was not made for a long time. Doctors did not immediately suspect cancer because the patient was very young. Bowel cancer was only discovered after a year and a half. By then, his condition had deteriorated significantly: the tumor no longer allowed a full colonoscopy. Subsequent treatment, including surgery and chemotherapy, could not stop the disease. The young man died. Analysis of medical data allowed scientists to identify 11 types of cancer whose incidence among young people is steadily rising. The list includes: bowel cancer, breast cancer, thyroid cancer, liver cancer, kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, gallbladder cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, oral cancer, and multiple myeloma. The most common among young patients are bowel and breast tumors. The researchers also found an interesting feature: incidence rates for bowel and ovarian cancer are rising specifically among the younger generation. Other cancers on the list are becoming more common both among young people and older adults. The researchers examined common risk factors, including smoking, alcohol, and low physical activity. However, these causes could not fully explain the observed dynamics, as in recent years some of these indicators have not worsened enough to explain such a rise. Instead, scientists found a notable link to the spread of obesity, which began to increase significantly back in the 1990s. Excess fat tissue can affect the body's hormonal balance and alter insulin levels. Such processes may create conditions conducive to the development of certain tumors. However, obesity alone is not enough to explain the entire trend. According to the researchers' estimate, excess weight may be linked to about 20 out of 100 new cases of bowel cancer. The causes of the remaining cases remain not fully understood. Specialists at Imperial College London are considering several possible explanations for the rise. These include regular consumption of ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks, exposure to PFAS (often called 'forever chemicals'), and certain herbicides. Another possible cause is frequent and unjustified use of antibiotics. Such drugs can significantly alter the composition of the gut microbiota, and the health consequences of these changes are still being studied. In addition, scientists point to chronic inflammatory processes and air pollution. At the same time, part of the increase in detected cases may be explained by improvements in medical diagnostics and earlier detection of diseases. Despite the notable rise in some cancers among young people, cancer in the 20-40 age group is still much rarer than in older people. According to the cited statistics, in the 20-40 group, about one case of cancer per thousand people is diagnosed annually. For people aged 50-70, the rate is about one case per hundred people. Thus, the probability of the disease in the older age group is about ten times higher. Experts at the Institute of Cancer Research emphasize that a significant proportion of cancers are linked to factors that people can influence themselves. According to their estimates, about 40 percent of cancer cases are associated with such preventable causes. Therefore, experts recommend maintaining a healthy body weight, being regularly active, following a varied and balanced diet, and quitting smoking. Doctors also stress the importance of paying attention to unusual and persistent symptoms regardless of age. Rapid weight loss, unexplained pain, bleeding, or other persistent changes in well-being require medical evaluation, even if the person is young and generally considers themselves healthy.