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Cancer rates are rising in young people

scientificamerican.com

21–30 of 162 posts

Re: Cancer rates are rising in young people

#21
post #17

I would wager this is more a function of better/earlier detection than anything. In general deaths from cancer are down considerably. I'm having trouble finding exact stats I want, but believe this is the case for young people as well. Cases of cancer that result in fatality have been and will always be counted pretty close to 100%, since they will eventually seek medical help. Cases of cancer that are less serious a…

There is no modern improvement in screening process that would account for the increase in colon cancer we have been seeing in young adults. Colon cancer screening still does not begin until age 50

I think it is not necessary improvement to the quality of the screening process, just that it is more widely available?

Re: Cancer rates are rising in young people

#22
36 y/o male with stage 4 colon cancer. Diagnosed in 2016. Lifelong triathlete / healthy eater. I think it's easy to write this off and just better screening, but I think that's certainly a necessary, but not sufficient explanation.

I'm open to other ideas, but I have to imagine some of this is due to changes in our environment and food supply. plastics everywhere, pesticides in our food, pollution in the air.

Re: Cancer rates are rising in young people

#24
post #8

How much of this is explained by the increase in obesity in young adults? I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the first specific cancer TFA mentions is colorectal. In the last sixty years the obesity rate has tripled with morbid obesity growing nearly ten fold.

By explained do you mean cause and effect? What is the link between the two? More cells = more that can become cancerous?

[deleted]

Re: Cancer rates are rising in young people

#25
post #22

36 y/o male with stage 4 colon cancer. Diagnosed in 2016. Lifelong triathlete / healthy eater. I think it's easy to write this off and just better screening, but I think that's certainly a necessary, but not sufficient explanation. I'm open to other ideas, but I have to imagine some of this is due to changes in our environment and food supply. plastics everywhere, pesticides in our food, pollution in the air.

Yeah, my personal theory is that plastics and PFAS are going to be the "things we did wrong for too long" for millenials / Gen Z.

Re: Cancer rates are rising in young people

#26
post #7

This is a bit of a surprise given how the prevalence of smoking and drinking in the younger generations is steadily declining. We also have a lot more effort put into reducing emissions from all industries. The idea that kids of the 70's chain smoking in the smog have lower cancer risk than the teetotaling youth of today is just sad. The article touched on it a bit, but apparently obesity is a huge contributing facto…

Stress can cause cancer too and it’s possible stress went up for young people.

If you put social media in the equation, I could argue that it’s certain that stress went up for young people.

Re: Cancer rates are rising in young people

#27
post #17

I would wager this is more a function of better/earlier detection than anything. In general deaths from cancer are down considerably. I'm having trouble finding exact stats I want, but believe this is the case for young people as well. Cases of cancer that result in fatality have been and will always be counted pretty close to 100%, since they will eventually seek medical help. Cases of cancer that are less serious a…

There is no modern improvement in screening process that would account for the increase in colon cancer we have been seeing in young adults. Colon cancer screening still does not begin until age 50

Is it only routine screening that would help account for increases or also better detection for symptomatic individuals? Maybe more easily available blood tests or more frequent referrals for colonoscopies for those outside of typical screening groups.

Re: Cancer rates are rising in young people

#28
post #22

36 y/o male with stage 4 colon cancer. Diagnosed in 2016. Lifelong triathlete / healthy eater. I think it's easy to write this off and just better screening, but I think that's certainly a necessary, but not sufficient explanation. I'm open to other ideas, but I have to imagine some of this is due to changes in our environment and food supply. plastics everywhere, pesticides in our food, pollution in the air.

I hope things are looking better and for you and a full recovery.

Re: Cancer rates are rising in young people

#29
post #8

How much of this is explained by the increase in obesity in young adults? I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the first specific cancer TFA mentions is colorectal. In the last sixty years the obesity rate has tripled with morbid obesity growing nearly ten fold.

By explained do you mean cause and effect? What is the link between the two? More cells = more that can become cancerous?

This connection is seemingly true for tall people[1]

1. https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2018/10/26/study-explains-why-...

Re: Cancer rates are rising in young people

#30
post #22

36 y/o male with stage 4 colon cancer. Diagnosed in 2016. Lifelong triathlete / healthy eater. I think it's easy to write this off and just better screening, but I think that's certainly a necessary, but not sufficient explanation. I'm open to other ideas, but I have to imagine some of this is due to changes in our environment and food supply. plastics everywhere, pesticides in our food, pollution in the air.

Doesn't make sense at all to have 30 something people with cancer, but we see more and more, although the treatment improves.

My personal opinion is mandated flame retardants in foams, mattresses and cushions and other plastics. Smokers die less from fire but everybody else breath poison.

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