This week, the American Cancer Society (ACS) published a new study that proves that youth does not protect people from developing cancer. Testing 34 types of cancer among 23 million adults in the U.S born between 1920 and 1990, the ACS’ research found that younger generations were more likely to develop 17 different types of cancer, of which five of them could be deadly.
“The risk is increasing from Baby Boomers to Generation X and from Generation X to millennials,” Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, study author and cancer epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society, told USA Today.
“You are more likely to develop cancer in your thirties and forties if you were born in the 1990s and 1980s, than your parents were, who were born in the 1950s and 1940s,” Dr. Bill Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society, added, per CBS.
According to the study’s findings, Gen X (born between 1965 and 1980) and millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) were more likely to develop cancer in their breast, liver, ovary, colorectal, uterine, pancreatic, gallbladder, kidney, testicular and more — with liver, uterine, gallbladder, testicular and colorectal cancer having the highest mortality rates. Additionally, patients born in 1990 were three times more likely to have kidney and small intestinal cancer compared to those born in 1955 (Baby Boomers). Similarly, millennial women held higher rates of liver cancer compared to their older counterparts.
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Though the study did not underline the reason for younger generations facing increased risks, experts suspect it could be a result of a number of things.
“It’s likely an environmental aspect,” Dahut explained. “Whether that’s diet, lack of exercise, some other exposure…we do need more research in those areas.”
Timothy Rebbeck, professor of cancer prevention at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, echoed these sentiments sharing that lifestyle factors may explain the study’s results. Early exposure to poor eating habits and diet can lead to obesity, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says can increase overall health and cancer risks. Though more research is needed to pinpoint the exact explanation for these risks, experts agree that adults should be participating in more health screenings. From family history to regular check-ups, early detection can help decrease the mortality rate of some of these cancers.
“The increase in cancer rates among this younger group of people indicate generational shifts in cancer risk and often serve as an early indicator of future cancer burden in the country,” Dr. Jemal added in a press release. “The data highlights the critical need to identify and address underlying risk factors in Gen X and millennial populations to inform prevention strategies.”
“If people have symptoms, do not dismiss them,” Dr. Andrea Cercek, a gastrointestinal oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, encourages.
