“Is Cancer an Age-Related Disease?” … Increasing Number of Cancer Patients Under 50

Joint Research by Scholars from Korea, the US, France, and Others... Cancer Study Results from 14 Types in 44 Countries
Causes Include Sleep Deprivation, Obesity, Reduced Physical Activity, Diabetes, Western Diet
South Korea's Average Annual Increase Rate of Colorectal Cancer Under Age 50 is 5%

A study has revealed that the number of young cancer patients under the age of 50 is increasing worldwide. The photo shows cancer cells. Photo by Asia Economy DB

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] A study has revealed that early-onset cancer cases among adults under 50 years old are increasing worldwide.

According to a CNN report on the 14th (local time), a review of cancer registry records from 44 countries showed a sharp rise in early-onset rates of 14 types of cancer, including colorectal cancer. CNN cited the contents of the academic journal Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, published last month, in its report. Scholars from several countries, including Korea, Japan, the United States, and France, jointly participated in the study, analyzing records of 14 types of cancer such as breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and endometrial cancer.

The study defines early-onset cases as those in which adults under 50 years old develop cancer. Cancer cases in children and adolescents under 20 years old were excluded from this study. The reasons for the increase in young cancer patients were identified as shift work and lack of sleep, obesity, decreased physical activity, diabetes, alcohol consumption, smoking, environmental pollution, and Western diets high in red meat and sugar.

Co-author Shuji Ogino, a professor at Harvard University’s Chan School of Public Health, stated, "In addition to these known risk factors, there are many unknown and less well-known risk factors such as pollutants and food additives." Professor Ogino also noted, "Among the 14 types of cancer studied, eight are related to the digestive system, suggesting that diet and gut microbiota play an important role."

Another notable finding of this study was the discovery of a cohort effect, meaning that younger age groups have a higher probability of developing cancer. For example, people born in the 1990s have a higher lifetime risk of early-onset cancer than those born in the 1980s.

Colorectal cancer, in particular, showed a rapid increase among young cancer patients. During the study period, the average annual increase rate of colorectal cancer among young adults was about 2% in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, and Japan. The United Kingdom had a slightly higher rate of about 3% annually, while Korea and Ecuador saw rates as high as 5% per year.

The researchers pointed out that the rising number of early-onset cancer patients can be seen as one of the signs of increasing tendencies for many chronic diseases to develop in younger and future generations. To prevent this, they proposed raising awareness about cancer and improving living environments as immediate goals.