Cancer cases in people under 50 have risen nearly 80% in three decades, study finds

2023-09-06 11:15:48

In total, global cases of early-onset cancer have increased from 1.82 million in 1990 to 3.26 million in 2019.

Posted on 06/09/2023 11:31

Update on 06/09/2023 12:00

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Illustration of a cancerous tumor in the kidney. (SEBASTIAN KAULITZKI/SCIENCE PHOT/SKX/AFP) — Illustration of a cancerous tumor in the kidney. (SEBASTIAN KAULITZKI/SCIENCE PHOT / SKX / AFP)

A shock number. More than one million people under the age of 50 died of cancer in 2019, a study published in the medical journal reveals BMJ Oncology and quoted by The Guardian. According to the researchers, the number of people under the age of 50 being diagnosed with cancer worldwide has increased by 79.1% in three decades. In total, global cases of early-onset cancer rose from 1.82 million in 1990 to 3.26 million in 2019, while cancer deaths among adults in their 40s, 30s or younger increased by 27. .7%.

After breast cancer, the highest mortality rates are linked to cancers of the trachea, lung, stomach and intestine, according to this study which draws on data from 204 countries on 29 types of cancer.

However, solutions exist to reduce the risk of cancer, say the researchers. “Encourage a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy diet, restriction of tobacco and alcohol intake, and appropriate outdoor activity, may reduce the burden of early cancer.”note the authors of the study, conducted by the University ofEdinburgh (Scotland) and Zhejiang Medical University in Hangzhou (China).