A new study published in the Lancet Oncology has found that bowel cancer rates are increasing sharply among young adults in England, with a 3.6% annual increase over the past decade. The disease is now killing almost 17,000 Brits each year and affects people aged under 50 in more than one in 20 cases.
Research led by the American Cancer Society has identified poor diet, obesity, lack of exercise, and ultra-processed foods as potential causes for this trend. Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK and can be caused by a range of symptoms including diarrhea, abdominal pain, blood in stool, and unexplained weight loss.
The study found that bowel cancer rates are rising globally among young people, but England has seen the biggest increase. Young women are more likely to experience faster increases in early bowel cancer rates than men in England and Scotland. In contrast, older adults have seen a decrease in bowel cancer rates due to effective cancer screening programs.
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, emphasized that a cancer diagnosis at any age has a significant impact on patients and their families. She stressed the need for understanding what’s causing this trend in younger people and called for awareness-raising efforts among primary care providers to reduce delays in diagnosis and mortality.
Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/one-hardest-cancers-spot-skyocketing-34296826