A new report from the World Cancer Research Fund has highlighted an increase in several cancer types among individuals under 50, a phenomenon often referred to as "early onset cancer". The report analysed data from 12 different cancer types across England, the US, and the Netherlands over the past 20 years.
In England, women under 50 have seen increases in breast, bowel, uterine, kidney, liver, pancreatic, and stomach cancers. For men in the same age group, there were increases in bowel, kidney, liver, pancreatic, and prostate cancers.
Scientists are investigating potential factors contributing to this trend, including changes in diet, increased sedentary lifestyles, and rising rates of excess weight and obesity. Environmental toxins such as air and water pollution, chemicals, and plastics are also being considered as possible influences.
However, diet, physical activity, and excess body weight do not fully explain the rise of certain cancers, such as breast cancer, in young people. Research into risk factors for early onset cancer is ongoing.