Rare cancer with nonspecific symptoms increasing among millennials
A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine indicates a surprising increase in appendix cancer rates among Millennials and Generation X, suggesting a higher disease burden in younger generations.
The study assessed data from 4,858 patients diagnosed with appendix cancer between 1975 and 2019, categorising them into five-year age groups to understand how the risk evolved over the years.
Compared to the 1945 birth cohort, the incidence of appendix cancer more than tripled in individuals born around 1980 and quadrupled by the birth cohort of 1985.
Researchers suggest that environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors intensified after World War II, such as dietary patterns, gut bacteria alterations, and gastrointestinal inflammation, may explain the increase.
The study calls for more research, particularly involving genomics data, to uncover the mechanisms driving this trend and urges physicians to revisit screening protocols and develop early detection biomarkers.
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