An international analysis by the World Cancer Research Fund has identified significant increases in early onset cancer diagnoses across multiple countries, with varying patterns by nation and cancer type.
In England, incidence rates of prostate cancer among men under 50 jumped from one in every 100,000 people in 2001 to 3.6 in every 100,000 in 2023. Bowel cancer rates among the under 50s rose from 3.9 per 100,000 in 2001 to 8.4 per 100,000 in 2023, while early onset uterine and kidney cancers doubled to 3.9 and 3 per 100,000 people respectively. Breast cancer among the under 50s increased from 42 to 47.5 per 100,000 in 2023, with smaller increases also observed in pancreatic and liver cancers. The research examined 12 tumor types in England.
In the United States, analysis of data since 2000 showed that kidney cancer among patients under 50 more than doubled from 2.5 per 100,000 people in 2000 to 5.3 in 2023. Bowel, uterine, and pancreatic cancers all increased by more than 50 percent, while breast cancer rose by about 20 percent. In the Netherlands, researchers found significant increases in early onset bowel, kidney, liver, and cervical cancers. Notably, lung cancer rates among the under 50s declined in all three countries, reflecting ongoing decreases in smoking.
Experts attribute the increases to multiple factors, including growing obesity levels, poor diets, insufficient exercise, alcohol consumption, smoking, and environmental exposures. The World Cancer Research Fund noted that approximately 40 percent of cancers are linked to modifiable risk factors. However, researchers also emphasize that greater public awareness of cancer symptoms and improved detection methods may contribute to earlier diagnosis. A new trial involving 250,000 people, funded by Cancer Research UK, will investigate the increase in bowel cancer cases among younger adults to clarify whether worsening risk factors or improved detection accounts for the observed trends.
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