15 October 2026 Punjab Khabarnama Bureau : Cancer has traditionally been associated with older age, but researchers are increasingly concerned about rising diagnoses of certain cancers among younger adults. The trend has been observed in several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, prompting scientists to investigate whether changing lifestyles, environmental exposures or biological factors may be contributing to the increase.
The latest research examined cancer incidence in England between 2001 and 2019, comparing adults aged 20–49 with those aged 50 and above. Researchers analysed 22 cancer types in women and 21 in men to understand how incidence rates changed over time and whether known risk factors could explain the increases.
Which Cancers Are Increasing in Younger People?
The study found statistically significant increases in several cancer types among younger adults. These included cancers of the bowel, breast, thyroid, kidney, liver, pancreas, ovary and the lining of the uterus, along with multiple myeloma and certain other cancers.
Among younger women, 16 of the 22 cancer types examined showed significant increases. Among younger men, 11 of 21 types recorded significant rises.
Bowel cancer was particularly notable because its incidence increased among younger adults without a corresponding significant increase among older adults in the English data. Ovarian cancer also showed a similar age-related pattern.
However, the findings do not mean that every type of cancer is increasing among younger people. Cancer trends vary by disease, age group, sex and country. Older adults continue to experience substantially higher rates of many cancers than younger adults.
Why Obesity Cannot Explain Everything
Obesity is an established risk factor for several cancers, including colorectal, kidney and endometrial cancer. Excess body fat can influence hormone levels, inflammation and metabolic processes, which may contribute to cancer development.
Researchers found that obesity could explain part of the increase in some cancers among younger adults. However, the study showed that rising incidence could not be attributed to obesity alone.
Other established behavioural risk factors, including smoking, alcohol consumption, diet and physical inactivity, were generally stable or declining in the population data examined. This mismatch between cancer trends and changes in those risk factors suggests that additional explanations need to be investigated.
The findings do not suggest that lifestyle factors are unimportant. Instead, they indicate that existing explanations may be incomplete and that the contribution of different risk factors varies by cancer type.
Could Early-Life Exposures Play a Role?
Scientists are investigating whether exposures during childhood, adolescence and early adulthood could influence cancer risk decades later.
Possible areas of research include dietary patterns, ultra-processed foods, sweetened beverages, environmental pollution, certain chemical exposures and changes in the body’s microbial communities. Researchers are also examining whether antibiotic use during early life or other factors affecting the gut microbiome might influence long-term health.
These remain areas of investigation rather than established explanations for the overall rise in early-onset cancer. It is difficult to identify a specific cause because cancer can develop over many years, and people are exposed to multiple potential risk factors throughout their lives.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer is coordinating research into early-onset colorectal cancer, including investigations into whether certain bacteria and their effects on DNA could help explain the increase. The research involves teams across multiple countries and is intended to test possible mechanisms rather than assume that one cause accounts for the trend.
Scientists Are Also Studying Biological Ageing
Another research area focuses on biological ageing, which refers to the condition of the body’s cells and tissues rather than a person’s age in years.