Queen Stewart, a lawyer and mother of two, discovered she had breast cancer at the age of 35. Her diagnosis came after she noticed a lump herself, as she was deemed too young for insurance-covered screenings.
“I just cried, and I just worried so much about whether I would be here for my girls,” Stewart shared.
A recent study published in BMJ Oncology this week has unveiled a significant surge in cancer rates among individuals under 50 years old.
Researchers meticulously analyzed data from 204 countries spanning the years between 1990 and 2019. Their findings indicate that cancer cases in the early stages have surged dramatically in this age group.
The study specifically defined early-onset cancer as diagnoses occurring between the ages of 14 and 49. In 2019, there were more than 3.26 million reported early-onset cancer cases across these countries, compared to 1.82 million cases in 1990, marking an alarming increase of 79.1%.
Over this period, the number of deaths due to early-onset cancer also climbed from approximately 800,000 in 1990 to 1.06 million in 2019.
Among the 29 different types of cancer examined, breast cancer accounted for the highest percentage of early-onset cases in 2019, at 16.5%. It also had the most early-onset deaths, at 12.84%.
Meanwhile, early-onset prostate cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer exhibited the most rapid increases in incident rates of any cancer types over the three-decade study period.
Dr. Christopher Flowers, an oncologist at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, described these statistics as “remarkable.”
The study pointed out that while genetics contribute to this rise, lifestyle factors like poor diet, alcohol consumption, tobacco use, physical inactivity, and obesity play significant roles.
The study’s conclusion emphasized, “Dietary risk factors (diet high in red meat, low in fruits, high in sodium and low in milk, etc.), alcohol consumption and tobacco use are the main risk factors underlying early-onset cancers.”
Additionally, the study revealed that the availability of medical care by region can also influence the number of cases and deaths.
Dr. Flowers emphasized the importance of timely screenings, stating, “I think it’s important for younger individuals who meet screening criteria to consider and pursue screening at age-appropriate times.”
In the United States, the recommended age for commencing colon cancer screenings was recently lowered from 50 to 45, and for breast cancer screenings, it was lowered from 50 to 40.
Dr. Flowers noted, “Look at the importance of screening, and that really gets to the point around those screenable cancers: there’s breast cancer, colorectal cancer, cervix cancer.”
The study projected that early-onset cancer rates would increase by 31% by 2030, with a corresponding 21% rise in cancer-related deaths.
Meanwhile, Queen Stewart underwent a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation treatment. She is currently in remission and cherishing her newfound perspective on life.
“It had me create a sense of urgency in my life to live now, to find joy, to be more present for my family,” reflected Stewart.