Harvard University
Researchers report rise in cancer in people under 50
Read this article to learn why the incidence of early onset cancers has dramatically increased worldwide since 1990, according to a study by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Each generation born in a later time period is facing a higher risk of developing early onset cancers (defined as cancer before 50), potentially due to harmful influences they encountered during their early years. Shifts in early life habits and environments, including diet, lifestyle, body weight, exposure to environmental factors, and gut bacteria—especially elements like a Western-style diet, being overweight, drinking alcohol, and not getting enough sleep—are suspected to play a part in the increasing rates of cancer in younger people. To thoroughly understand and monitor the worldwide trends in early onset cancers, research must be conducted in low- and middle-income countries as well.
