Which cancers are rising among people under age 50?
Cancer before the age of 50 is rare but increasing, and researchers want to know why.
A new US government study provides the most complete picture yet of early-onset cancers, finding that the largest increases are in breast, colorectal, kidney, and uterine cancers.
Scientists looked at data that included more than two million cancers diagnosed in people ages 15 to 49 between 2010 and 2019 in the US.
Of 33 cancer types, 14 cancers had increasing rates in at least one younger age group. About 63 per cent of the early-onset cancers were among women, according to the study published on Thursday in the journal Cancer Discovery.
"These kinds of patterns generally reflect something profound going on," said Tim Rebbeck of the US-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, who studies cancer risk and was not involved in the research.
"We need to fund research that will help us understand".
The researchers compared cancer rates in 2019 to what would be expected based on 2010 rates.
Breast cancer made up the largest share of the excess cancers, with about 4,800 additional cases. Meanwhile, there were 2,000 more colorectal cancers, 1,800 more kidney cancers, and 1,200 additional uterine cancers than would be expected.
Reassuringly, death rates were not rising for most cancers in the young adult age groups, although increasing death rates were seen for colorectal, uterine, and testicular cancers.
Explanations will take more research. The big databases used for the study don't include information on risk factors or access to care. Theories abound, and a big meeting is planned later this year to bring together experts in the area.
"Several of these cancer types are known to be associated with excess body weight, and so one of the leading hypotheses is increasing rates of obesity," said lead author Meredith Shiels of the US' National Cancer Institute.
Advances in cancer detection and changes in screening guidelines could be behind some early diagnoses.
For breast cancer, the trend toward women having a first child at older ages is a possible explanation. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are known to reduce risk.
This isn't happening across the board. Cancer rates in people under 50 are going down for more than a dozen types of cancer, with the largest declines in lung and prostate cancers.
Cigarette smoking has been declining in the US for decades, which likely accounts for the drop in lung cancer among younger adults.
The drop in prostate cancer is likely tied to updated guidelines discouraging routine PSA testing in younger men because of concerns about overtreatment.
A medication to treat men's hair loss comes with a rare risk of suicidal thoughts, the European Union's drugs regulator has determined.
The safety committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it reviewed 313 reports of suicidal ideation among people taking the drug finasteride, which can stimulate hair growth and prevent hair loss for men aged 18 to 41.
Finasteride is sold in 1 mg tablets under brand names such as Propecia. Meanwhile, 5 mg tablets are used to treat prostate enlargement that can cause problems urinating.
Most of the reports of suicidal thoughts came from people taking the 1 mg tablets, but 'the frequency of the side effect is unknown,' the EMA concluded.
Finasteride – which already comes with warnings about mood changes, such as depression and suicidal ideation – will remain on the shelves because the safety committee concluded that its benefits outweigh its risks.
But the 1 mg tablets will now come with a card that reminds people of the risks and advises them on how to handle side effects, which can also include decreased sex drive or erectile dysfunction, the EMA said.
The agency said people who experience mood changes while taking finasteride 1 mg should stop taking it and seek medical advice.
The warnings will also be added to the medicine dutasteride, which is another treatment for prostate enlargement.
The EMA safety committee did not have evidence linking the drug to suicidal thoughts, but because dutasteride works the same way as finasteride, the information will be added as a precaution.
The agency noted that there were only a few hundred reports of suicidal ideation among about 270 million patients taking finasteride and 82 million taking dutasteride.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
2 days ago
- France 24
Japanese company abandons Moon landing mission after losing contact with spacecraft
Japan 's hopes of achieving its first soft touchdown on the Moon by a private company were dashed Friday when the mission was aborted after an assumed crash-landing, the startup said. Tokyo-based ispace had hoped to make history as only the third private firm -- and the first outside the United States -- to achieve a controlled arrival on the lunar surface. But "based on the currently available data... it is currently assumed that the lander likely performed a hard landing", the startup said. "It is unlikely that communication with the lander will be restored" so "it has been decided to conclude the mission", ispace said in a statement. The failure comes two years after a prior mission ended in a crash. The company's unmanned Resilience spacecraft began its daunting final descent and "successfully fired its main engine as planned to begin deceleration", ispace said Friday. Mission control confirmed that the lander's positioning was "nearly vertical" -- but contact was then lost, with the mood on a livestream from mission control turning sombre. Technical problems meant "the lander was unable to decelerate sufficiently to reach the required speed for the planned lunar landing", ispace said. High-profile payloads To date, only five nations have achieved soft lunar landings: the Soviet Union, the United States, China, India, and most recently Japan. Now, private companies are joining the race, promising cheaper and more frequent access to space. On board the Resilience lander were several high-profile payloads. They included Tenacious, a Luxembourg -built micro rover; a water electrolyser to split molecules into hydrogen and oxygen; a food production experiment; and a deep-space radiation probe. The rover also carried "Moonhouse" -- a small model home designed by Swedish artist Mikael Genberg. "I take the fact that the second attempt failed to land seriously," CEO Takeshi Hakamada told reporters. "But the most important thing is to use this result" for future missions, he said, describing a "strong will to move on, although we have to carefully analyse what happened". Last year, Houston-based Intuitive Machines became the first private enterprise to reach the Moon. Though its uncrewed lander touched down at an awkward angle, it still managed to complete tests and transmit photos. Then in March this year, Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost -- launched on the same SpaceX rocket as ispace's Resilience -- aced its lunar landing attempt. Never quit The mood ahead of Friday's attempt had been celebratory, with a watch party also held by ispace's US branch in Washington. After contact was lost, announcers on an ispace livestream signed off with the message: "Never quit the lunar quest." The mission had also aimed to collect two lunar soil samples and sell them to NASA for $5,000. Though the samples would remain on the Moon, the symbolic transaction is meant to strengthen the US stance that commercial activity -- though not sovereign claims -- should be allowed on celestial bodies. Landing on the Moon is highly challenging as spacecraft must rely on precisely controlled thruster burning to slow their descent over treacherous terrain. Intuitive Machines' second attempt at a Moon landing ended in disappointment in late March. Its spacecraft Athena, designed to touch down on a spot called the Mons Mouton plateau -- closer to the lunar south pole than any previous mission -- tipped over and was unable to recharge its solar-powered batteries.
Euronews
3 days ago
- Euronews
NATO adapts drones to transport blood to injured frontline soldiers
Russia could "decide to attack us in three to five years," NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says, and Europe needs to be prepared. In response, NATO countries are finalising plans to dramatically increase defence spending from 2% of GDP to 5%. Meanwhile, NATO allies are focusing on strengthening their defence through new capability targets, based on the evolving global security concerns and, in particular, the threat from Russia. NATO's Griffin Lightning military exercise is one of the most extensive tests of the alliance's capabilities and readiness for war. The training includes a wide range of hardware, including tanks, howitzers, attack helicopters, drones, live-fire drills and fully functional field hospitals. Field hospitals are crucial as the first line of defence, preventing death or major life-changing injuries. Overall, drones are the dominant weapon in Russia's war in Ukraine and are responsible for the majority of casualties and injuries. Armies are now preparing for the widespread integration of drone technology into life-saving situations on the battlefield. Drones will be used to transport blood directly to the injured soldier on the frontline, buying crucial time with blood transfusions until a soldier can receive more comprehensive care. In Lithuania and across the Baltic states, armies are using former Soviet missile depots as control centres for NATO allies and for storing medical supplies and field and dental hospitals. Medical staff react to drills and emergency life-saving treatments that are common to battlefield injuries. Field hospitals are there to stabilise patients, with IV access, intubations and CT scanners for head trauma and brain injuries. Hospital 519 is an American-led facility in the centre of Lithuania with hypothetical patients displaying injuries common to the battlefield, especially the current frontline in Ukraine. It's part of the US Swift Response military exercise within NATO, which tests the ability of US battalions and military medical personnel to respond immediately to a potential Russian invasion in the Baltic states or other frontline countries in Europe. "The injuries we're seeing in Ukraine are different to the war in Iraq or Afghanistan," dental officer Major Frederick Dawson told Euronews. In Ukraine, "soldiers are wearing body armour and helmets so a lot of the injuries are to the extremities and to the face which highlights the need for a dentist on the battlefield," he explained. "If a soldier has tooth injuries through trauma or disease, it might affect their ability to wear their helmet and then they can't fight." Crucially, the war in Ukraine is informing how NATO is preparing for battlefield injuries. "The US army medical leadership and dental corps leadership have been studying the trends in Ukraine very closely to try to see how we can modernise our army medical team to include the dental team to be better prepared for large scale combat operations," he said. Meanwhile, US NATO soldiers also say they now conceal the Red Cross medical symbol at military hospitals or medical centres. "We try not to have our vehicles or tents with the cross. We try to hide that from sight," Major Hong Duan, a pharmacist with the US military, told Euronews. "From what I've learned, yes, it's not respected," he said. Hospitals and other critical civilian infrastructure have protected status under international humanitarian law. However, according to several military experts, it is largely no longer respected in many current war zones. The European Commission plans to launch a vast operation to clean up PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances), also known as "forever chemicals" in water through the creation of public-private partnerships. These were the conclusions of the European Water Resilience Strategy, adopted on Wednesday in Brussels. In 2022, out of 1,300 monitoring sites in Europe, 59% of rivers, 35% of lakes and 73% of coastal waters exceeded the environmental quality standard for perfluorooctanesulphonic acid (PFOS), a type of PFAS, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA). In Europe, only 37% of surface waters are in good or very good ecological health and 29% have achieved good chemical status, according to the agency. Environmental associations, which are campaigning for a ban on PFAS at the source, are denouncing this as a "missed opportunity". "We expected to see more ambition to reduce pollution at the source," said Angeliki Lyssimachou, head of science and policy at the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are dubbed "forever chemicals" because they don't easily break down in the environment and accumulate in humans and animals over time. Health costs are estimated at €52 to €84 billion a year and some of the chemicals have been classified as carcinogenic. These chemical compounds are non-stick, waterproof and resistant to high temperatures. They are also present in many everyday items such as non-stick frying pans, fire-fighting foams and medical devices. Jessika Roswall, the European Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resilience said she was in favour of banning PFAS in consumer products such as cosmetics and food packaging. However, she stressed that it would be difficult to ban all PFASs, as some do not yet have an effective alternative. "The problem is that we need PFASs for many different products. For example, medical products like inhalers (...) or many things for which there is no substitution. In terms of the ecological transition, semiconductors, digitisation or the defence industry," Roswall told Euronews. In a leaked document, the Commission's estimated range for the annual cost of PFAS decontamination in Europe was wide, at anywhere from €5 all the way to €100 billion. For the water sector alone, the cost could increase to up to €18 billion annually for drinking water treatment. For some pollutants, such as TFA (trifluoroacetic acid, a type of PFAS), the clean-up is not so simple. "According to the water companies, it's a very expensive process that involves extracting all the minerals from the water and adding them back. At the end of the day, you're going to lose a lot of water," says Angeliki Lyssimachou. "So you're going to consume a lot more energy. The Commission wants to apply the "polluter pays" principle and reserve public funding for sites where it has not been possible to identify who is responsible. The European Water Resilience Strategy aims to restore the water cycle and ensure access to clean, affordable water at a time when Europe is facing extreme weather events such as floods and droughts. 34% of the EU is affected by water shortages. "Water is life. Water resilience is essential for our citizens, our farmers, the environment and businesses. The Commission's Water Resilience Strategy sets out the path towards a sustainable, resilient, smart and competitive water economy. We must act now to protect this resource," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a statement. The European action plan also includes raising awareness for these issues through public debates, increasing European funding for infrastructure modernisation, supporting digitisation through the EU's Copernicus Earth observation programme, and supporting innovation.
France 24
3 days ago
- France 24
As birthrates fall, Turkey's government steps in
After declaring 2025 Turkey's "Year of the Family", Erdogan last month announced 2026 would mark the start of the "Decade of the Family". But his pleas for women to have at least three children and offers of financial incentives for newlyweds may not be enough as Turkey grapples with a deepening economic crisis. Official figures show Turkey's birthrate has fallen from 2.38 children per woman in 2001 to 1.48 in 2025 -- lower than in France, Britain or the United States -- in what Erdogan, a 71-year-old pious Muslim and father-of-four, has denounced as "a disaster". During his 22 years in office -- first as premier, then president -- fertility rates have dropped sharply in this country of 85 million people. Erdogan has blamed both women and LGBTQ "perverts". "Women and LGBTQ+ individuals are considered the only culprits for the declining population growth rate, with no acknowledgement of political mistakes," said retired academic and feminist activist Berrin Sonmez. "People might be hesitant to have children in this chaotic and uncertain environment. Additionally, child support is almost non-existent and education has become the most expensive sector," she said. No education, no jobs High inflation has raged in Turkey for the past four years, forcing education costs up by more than 70 percent over the past year, official data shows. In the first quarter, unemployment stood at 8.2 percent, or 15 percent among 15- to 24-year-olds. Researchers with the DISK union say the real rate is 28.5 percent, and 37.5 percent among young people. But the government seems bent on fixing other issues, such as Turkey's record number of elective Caesarean births -- which stands at 61 percent, rising to 78 percent in some private hospitals. In April, Turkey banned C-section births at private healthcare facilities "without a medical justification". The procedure generally limits the number of pregnancies to two, or a maximum of three. C-sections: the 'safer option' Medical professionals say the high number of C-sections is linked to the rampant privatisation of the healthcare system since the late 1990s. C-sections are more time-efficient for medical staff -- 30 minutes, versus 12 hours for a traditional delivery -- and lower the risk of legal action over complications, said Hakan Coker, an Istanbul-based gynaecologist. "Ultimately, C-sections are perceived as a guarantee of safety" for doctors and women alike, he said. Dr Harika Bodur, an obstetrician at a major Istanbul hospital, said some women ask for a C-section "at the first appointment for fear of pain". "If you refuse, they'll go elsewhere," she said. The fear is rooted in a lack of education and discomfort with sexuality, she said. The health ministry says it is now "aiming for a target rate of 20 percent (of C-sections) by encouraging normal childbirth through education of future parents". But the word "normal" has raised hackles -- notably last month when a football team carried a huge banner promoting vaginal births onto the pitch before a top-flight clash, which read: "Natural birth is normal." Women as 'birthing machines' "If I don't want to, I won't have any children at all, it's my right," said 23-year-old chemistry student Secil Murtazaoglu. "Access to abortion is already difficult. Now they want to limit C-sections. It's all about the oppression of women," she said. In 2012, the Turkish president described abortion as "murder", but stopped short of banning it. By offering interest-free loans of 150,000 Turkish lira ($3,800) for newlyweds and a monthly allowance of 5,000 lira from the third child onwards, Erdogan was trying "to turn women into birthing machines", Murtazaoglu said. Feminist activist Sonmez said women were subjected to huge pressures, both within their families and within society, when the much more pressing issue was the need to tackle gender violence. "We must start by combating violence against women: such policies have been eradicated and protections seriously undermined," she said.
