Cancer Incidence Rising Across All Age Groups, Study Finds
London – A new study reveals increasing incidence rates of several cancers are affecting both younger adn older adults, challenging previous concerns of an “epidemic” solely impacting those under 50. Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the research indicates a broad trend of rising cancer cases, notably those linked to obesity.
The study found that between 2010 and 2019, prostate cancer saw the largest increase in incidence, averaging 3.6 per cent per year. This was followed by kidney cancer (2.2 per cent), endometrial cancer (1.7 per cent), bowel cancer (1.5 per cent), and breast cancer and leukaemia, both at just under 1 per cent. These increases mirrored trends observed in individuals over 50.
However, bowel cancer showed a notably faster rate of increase in those under 49, rising by 1.45 per cent annually compared to 0.4 per cent in older adults. Researchers suggest this disparity may be due to the preventative effects of screening programs for older adults,which detect and remove pre-malignant lesions.
“Our findings suggest that whatever is triggering the rise in these cancers is more likely to be common across all age groups, rather than specific to cancers in the under-50s, since there were similar increases in younger and older adults,” said Professor Amy Berrington, team leader in clinical cancer epidemiology at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR).
Several studies have pointed to rising obesity rates as a potential driver of these increases, particularly for cancers like endometrial and kidney cancer. “The cancers that we identified as increasing are all obesity-related cancers,” Berrington added. “We are currently investigating how much of the increase coudl be explained by obesity,or whether novel carcinogens may also be involved – so far,the evidence is unclear.”
ICR Chief Executive Professor Kristian Helin emphasized the importance of a comprehensive approach. “These findings provide a clearer picture of what is happening and cast doubt on the idea that the rise in cancer rates is only affecting younger people,” he said. “It highlights the importance of including all adults,not just younger adults,when developing new guidelines and research strategies to address the increases in cancer incidence.”
