24-05-2025
Certain cancers increasing in younger people
(NewsNation) — New research from the National Institutes of Health found that 14 different types of cancers have increased in people younger than 50.
Cancers of the breast, stomach, kidney and pancreas have jumped from 2010 to 2019. Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in men younger than 50 and the second leading cause for women.
Research also shows people born in the 1980s and 1990s are twice as likely to get colorectal cancer as older generations. Some findings pin the blame on environmental factors like pollution or chemicals in the food supply and on lifestyle factors like obesity and diets with ultra-processed foods.
Dr. Diane Reidy-Lagunes, the chief of medical oncology at Duke Health, joined NewsNation's 'Elizabeth Vargas Reports' to talk about the findings. She said in her office, she's been seeing fit, younger patients coming in with colorectal cancer.
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'The first thing I tell my patients is there's nothing you did or didn't do,' Reidy-Lagunes said. She added at these young ages, there are certain cancers linked to risk factors like obesity and sedentary lifestyles but that current studies show that it is not the reason why doctors are seeing an increase in cases.
Reidy-Lagunes said when looking out for potential signs, it's important for people to know their bodies. She said for colorectal cancer, any changes in bowel movements that don't change over some days or weeks are something you should consult a doctor about, including for other types of cancers where masses may form anywhere on the body.
Reidy-Lagunes also recommends men get screened for prostate cancer at 50 and screening at 40 for Black men and for those who have a family history of the cancer. She said women should get screened for breast cancer at 40 and earlier if there is a family history.
With all the different theories on what is causing the increase, Reidy-Lagunes said more research is needed sooner rather than later to understand what's going on.
'We can't wait another 40 years to see if there could be other generational issues,' Reidy-Lagunes said.
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