The National Cancer Institute estimates that 4.2% of all new cancer cases this year will occur in adolescents and young adults ages 15-39.
The word cancer in colored letters between a stethoscope and a paper cutout of a person next to a pill bottle. Cancer is on the rise in young adults.
Younger adults are the only age group showing an increase in cancer incidence from 1995 to 2020. The cancer rate in this age group has risen each year during this period.
Today, young adults face a higher risk of cancer than someone of the same age two generations ago.
Nearly half of the newly diagnosed cancers in the U.S. are avoidable with a combination of prevention measures, such as eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy body weight, per the American Cancer Society.
Some of the most common cancers in young adults are:
Breast cancer
Lymphomas (non-Hodgkin's and Hodgkin's)
Melanoma
Sarcomas (cancers of connective tissues like muscles and bones)
Cancers of the female genital tract (cervix and ovary)
Thyroid cancer
Testicular cancer
Colorectal cancer
Brain and spinal cord tumors
Even though childhood cancer is relatively rare, it accounts for one of the top three causes of death in children ages 5-14. Most cancers in children and young adults have no known cause, so prevention isn’t possible, but steps can be taken to lower the risk in adulthood.
My daughter is a physician, training as an obstetrician-gynecologist. On a recent gynecologic cancer rotation, she told me that most of her patients were young women, in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, affected by female cancers and dying. She was shocked to be taking care of so many close to her own age. These are young adult women who should be in the prime of their life and they are suffering.
Cancer prevention should start during childhood to ensure a healthy adulthood. The role of diet in the prevention of childhood cancer is not well understood, but much is known regarding adult cancer prevention with nutrition.
Many cancers are linked to lifestyle risk factors: smoking, obesity, unhealthy diets, not getting enough exercise, and drinking too much alcohol.
There are also some known causes in young adults, such as:
Excess sun or tanning bed exposure (UV light) increases the risk of melanoma and other skin cancers.
Infection with HPV (human papillomavirus) increases the risk of cervical and some other cancers.
Infection with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) increases the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Kaposi sarcoma, and some other cancers.
Previous treatment with chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer unfortunately raises the risk of getting another cancer later.
Some of the known dietary carcinogens include:
Red meat (beef, pork, and lamb, especially after extensive heating at high temperatures, increases the risk of colorectal cancer).
Processed meats (sausage, hot dogs, pepperoni, salami, bacon, beef jerky, and prepackaged lunch meat, due to sodium nitrites, increases colorectal cancer risk).
Refined grains (white flour products, white rice, white bread, and regular pasta increases the risk of colorectal cancer, diabetes, and obesity).
Sugar (excess consumption is a risk factor for colorectal cancer, diabetes, and obesity).
The above list refers to these foods when eaten frequently, not when consumed occasionally.
Low-fiber diets are also a risk factor for colorectal cancer.
Obesity is a risk factor for both adults and children for cancer development. Obesity is related to an increased incidence of cancers and poorer outcomes in those with cancer - an additional reason to prevent and treat obesity in childhood.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) has associated 13 different cancers with obesity. After tobacco use, obesity is the second leading cause of cancer currently. ACS estimates that about 20% of cancers are associated with excess body weight. Fight cancer by fighting obesity.
The cancers associated with obesity include:
Breast, bowel, kidney, liver, endometrial, ovarian, stomach, thyroid, esophagus, gallbladder, pancreas, multiple myeloma, and prostate cancers.
Multiple ribbons in different colors surrounding a stethoscope, which depicts different cancers: light blue-prostate, gray-brain, black-skin, pink-breast, yellow-bone, purple-pancreatic, teal-ovarian/cervical, dark blue-colorectal.
The 6 cancers on the rise - breast, colorectal, endometrial, kidney, liver, pancreatic - are also cancers related to obesity. Although we don’t know the answers, the rising obesity rate is thought to be a factor in increasing cancer rates.
Because cancer is rare in the young, screening tests are not done since they are considered a low-risk group. Learning some common signs and symptoms is beneficial to know when to seek care.
These include:
An unusual lump or swelling, especially in the neck, breast, belly, or testicle
Unexplained tiredness and loss of energy
Easy bruising
Abnormal bleeding
Ongoing pain in one part of the body
Unexplained fever or illness that doesn’t go away
Frequent headaches, sometimes along with vomiting
Sudden eye or vision changes
Loss of appetite or unplanned weight loss
A new mole or other spot on the skin or one that changes in size, shape, or color
Young adults should also know their family medical history, especially for heart disease and cancer. If there is a family history of certain cancers, then screening is recommended 10 to 15 years earlier than typical. For example, a colonoscopy or mammogram would be done at a much younger age. Genetic testing may be done to look for gene mutations that increase risk.
There are steps you can take to lower your risk of getting certain kinds of cancer throughout your life, such as:
Maintaining a healthy weight
Being physically active
Lowering your risk of infection with HPV and HIV by limiting sex partners and using safe sex practices.
Limiting alcohol intake.
Reducing ultra-processed foods and sugar intake.
Evidence shows that diet is one of the primary, controllable factors in disease prevention, including cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that 30% of adult cancers can be delayed or prevented with diet, regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight. We cannot prevent all cancers but these are factors we can control.
Infancy, childhood, and adolescence measures entail
limiting red and processed meats and avoiding nitrates/nitrites
minimizing sugared beverages and ultra-processed foods
consuming lots of fruits and vegetables
avoiding tobacco and second-hand smoke
getting regular exercise
preventing obesity.
FOODS WITH CANCER-PROTECTIVE EFFECTS:
Fish - The American Heart Association advocates eating fish twice weekly for omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). A diet rich in omega-3 PUFAs is associated with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer.
Pregnant women and young children should avoid swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and tilefish due to their mercury content.
Legumes and beans are low in fat, good protein sources, high in fiber, micronutrients, and phytochemicals, and help to reduce cancers along the GI tract.
Whole grains and cereals, such as brown rice, bulgur, whole wheat pasta, and oatmeal, have cancer-protective effects due to fiber. Dietary fiber also acts as a prebiotic for the gut microbiota to protect against colon cancer.
Fruit and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and fiber and have cancer-protective effects. A diet high in fruit and vegetables is protective against cancers of the GI tract, liver, bladder, and possibly lung and endometrium. There are no adverse effects of consuming fruit and vegetables! Make ⅔ of your plate plant foods.
Vitamin D from fatty fish, milk and dairy, mushrooms, and fortified foods is linked to cancer prevention. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to cancer, autoimmune disorders, and osteoporosis. See article from 11/6/24 on the latest vitamin D guidelines.
The most effective strategy is to start early and change this worrisome trend!
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