Millennials and Gen Xers Are More Likely Than Older Generations to Develop Cancer
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According to a recent extensive study conducted by the American Cancer Society, Millennials and Generation X have a higher chance than prior generations of having 17 out of the 34 forms of cancer. These consist of stomach, pancreatic, and breast malignancies.
The study also revealed that Gen X and Millennials had a higher death risk, which was primarily linked to malignancies of the testicles, liver (in females), uterine corpus, gallbladder, and colon.
"These findings expand on previous findings of early-onset colorectal cancer and a few obesity-associated cancers to encompass a broader range of cancer types," lead study author Dr. Hyuna Sung, senior principal scientist of surveillance and health equity science at the American Cancer Society, said in a press release. "These findings add to growing evidence of increased cancer risk in post-Baby Boomer generations."
The results show a pattern, but they don't address the underlying reasons.
"People who are categorized according to their birth year are known as birth cohorts. These groups have distinct social, political, economic, and climatic settings that influence how they are exposed to cancer risk factors throughout their critical formative years. We have seen trends in cancer that are related to birth years, but we still don't know why these rates are increasing," according to Sung.
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According to this most recent study, the incidence rates of eight different cancer forms rose with each birth cohort born after roughly 1920. The incidence rate of small intestine, renal, and pancreatic cancers was two to three times higher in 1990 birth cohorts compared to 1955 birth cohorts. This also applied to liver cancer, but only in females.
Depending on the type of cancer, the rate of increase in occurrence among younger generations varied to differing degrees. For instance, those born in 1990 had a 12% increased risk of developing ovarian cancer compared to the cohort born in the year with the lowest incidence rate. But compared to the birth cohort with the lower incidence rate, individuals born in 1990 had a 169% higher likelihood of acquiring uterine corpus cancer.
The rise in cancer rates among this younger demographic reflects changes in cancer risk over generations and frequently acts as a precursor to the nation's eventual cancer burden. Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, senior vice president of surveillance and health equity science at the American Cancer Society and senior author of the study, stated in a press release:
"An overall increase in cancer burden could occur in the future, halting or reversing decades of progress against the disease, if effective population-level interventions are not implemented and as the elevated risk in younger generations is carried over as individuals age."
In order to inform preventative initiatives, Jemal stated that the data:
"Highlights the critical need to identify and address underlying risk factors in Gen X and Millennial populations."
President of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Lisa Lacasse, noted that the data emphasizes how important it is to have comprehensive, reasonably priced health insurance because it has a significant impact on cancer outcomes. According to her, ACS CAN is pushing for the permanent extension of the "enhanced Affordable Care Act tax subsidies that have opened the door to access to care for millions" and is working to persuade legislators to expand Medicaid in states that haven't done so yet.