A Wake-Up Call for Younger Generations
- With the tragic cancer-related deaths of TV stars like beloved 90210 actress Shannen Doherty and The Bachelor alum Haley Merkt in recent weeks, it’s a distressing reminder of the sharp increase in cancer cases in younger people. Doherty, who passed away from a long fight with breast cancer, was 53 and Merkt, just 31 from leukemia.
- A study published Wednesday finds that Millennials and Gen X are more likely to be diagnosed with 17 types of cancer, with obesity listed as a top cause.
- More than ever, it’s imperative that younger generations focus on screening and preventative care, not to mention living a healthier lifestyle, to avoid becoming a part of the staggering statistics.
- You can reduce inflammation in your body by reducing your intake of foods that cause inflammation. These so-called “pro-inflammatory” foods include white breads, pastas, pastries, sodas, red meats and processed meats. Talk to your doctor and dietician to make a game plan on your overall health.
Doherty, who passed away from a long fight with breast cancer, was 53 years old — and Merkt, who had leukemia, was just 31.
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To conduct the study, researchers “obtained incidence data for 34 types of cancer and mortality data for individuals aged 25-84 years for the period Jan 1, 2000, to Dec 31, 2019.
And according to a study published last year in BMJ Oncology, early-onset cancers — or cancer in people younger than 50 years old — raised by a whopping 79 percent globally between the years of 1990 to 2019.
The main risks listed included red meat intake, along with alcohol and tobacco use. “Encourage a healthy lifestyle could reduce early-onset cancer disease burden,” the journal noted of the increasing spike in cancer cases and related deaths.
Breast cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer were among the cancers showing “the highest mortality,” with prostate cancer showing the most increase (along with nasopharyngeal, which is cancer that starts in your nasopharynx, the tissue that connects the back of your nose to the back of your mouth, per Cleveland Clinic).
The common conclusion from these back-to-back studies is that living a healthier lifestyle is key.
Is This Concerning Trend Reversible?
Is there hope for the future?
“The steady rise in young-onset cancer among multiple tumor types is highly concerning and will significantly impact people and society in significant ways if not reversed,” Dr. Kimmie Ng, Associate Chief, Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, added to SurvivorNet.
“Research into the underlying cause of this rising trend is of utmost importance for prevention, early detection, and treatment.”
WATCH: Screening for breast cancer.
Screenings and early detection, researchers note, are contributing factors to the increase in cancer rates among younger people. In recent years, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended that the colorectal cancer screening age be lowered to 45; the previous recommended age was 50.
The USPSTF also lowered the recommended age to begin breast cancer screening to 40. The previous guidance issued in 2016 was age 50.
WATCH: Colon cancer screening.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) suggests women should begin annual mammogram screenings for breast cancer at age 45 if they are at average risk for breast cancer.
The ACS also advises:
- Women aged 40-44 have the option to start screening with a mammogram every year
- Women aged 55 and older can switch to a mammogram every other year
- Women aged 55 and older could also choose to continue yearly mammograms
Although research suggests more young people are screening which can help catch cancer development in earlier stages, there exists the risk of overdiagnosis.
Younger women, for example, have been found to have more false positive events and biopsies leading to anxiety, when compared to older women.
Overall, early screenings may take a toll on the emotional, physical, psychological, and financial aspects of a person but Dr. Paul Doria-Rose, Ph.D., chief of NCI’s Healthcare Assessment Research Branch, tells the National Cancer Institute that “more research is needed to learn how frequently some screening harms happen.”
WATCH: Colon Cancer Screening Options And Genetics Myth Busting
It’s Never Too Late to Stop Smoking
Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. The tobacco in cigarettes is a carcinogen that causes mutations in lung cells and enables the growth of cancer. In fact, about 80% of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking, according to the American Cancer Society.
It’s also important to know that several thousand other lung cancer deaths are caused by exposure to secondhand smoke. The good news is that if you quit smoking, your risk for lung cancer decreases.
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Take it from a guy who looks at diseased lungs every day: ‘Stop smoking’
“If you’re smoking, don’t smoke,” says Dr. Joseph Friedberg, Head of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “You never return down all the way to the [level of] the person who never smoked as far as your risk of lung cancer goes, but it goes down with time.”
“I think it behooves us all to try and increase the uptake of CT screening in particular, given that it’s been shown to reduce lung cancer mortality,” Dr. Forde adds.
The Importance of Cancer Screenings & Following Guidelines
It’s important that men and women of all ages know the facts around cancer screenings. For example, when it comes to scheduling a screening, older women sometimes may have different options depending on guidelines.
“A woman doesn’t need to come in for a pap smear every year, but can come in every three to five years, depending on her age,” Dr. Anna Beavis, a gynecological oncologist at John Hopkins Medicine, previously told SurvivorNet, regarding cervical cancer.
“I still recommend that every woman go to their [gynecologist] every year for an exam, even if a pap smear isn’t being done.””
Related: Top 5 Excuses Women Give for Not Getting a Pap Smear: Are You Guilty of Using One of These?
According to Dr. Beavis, women should start scheduling their cervical cancer screenings starting at age 21 and continue until age 65. However, even if you’re 65 years or older, that doesn’t mean you’re necessarily off the hook. In order to skip these screenings, you’ll need to have had regular pap smears for the past 10 years in order to get the all clear. These screenings are extremely important, especially since cervical cancer doesn’t present symptoms until it has advanced. By following guidelines and regularly having pap smears, your doctor can catch the disease before it has progressed.
Ex-NYPD cop and cervical cancer survivor, Patti Murillo Casa, advocates for other women to be tested
Dr. Beavis’ recommendation echoes that of the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines, which state women starting at age 21 to age 29 should have a pap smear every three years.
For women 30-years-old to age 65, guidelines recommend women should get a pap smear along with an HPV test (or an HPV test alone) every five years. The guidelines also specify which women qualify for three year screenings while others qualify for five. To determine this, it’s important to talk to your doctor as to whether you are “high-risk” of the disease or not.
Alcohol and Cancer Risk
According to the National Cancer Institute, there is a clear link between consuming alcohol, especially drinking it regularly over time, and an increased risk of several cancers. Those cancers include head and neck, esophageal, liver, breast and colorectal.
In addition to the latest research mentioned above, a study published in JAMA Network in August 2022 found that people with “heavy drinking levels had an associated higher risk” of developing alcohol-related cancers “than those who did not drink.” The study included 4.5 million participants who self-reported their drinking habits.
The results concluded people who reduced their alcohol consumption lowered their risk.
Conversely, “Those with moderate or heavy drinking levels who quit drinking had a higher all cancer incidence than those who sustained their levels, but when quitting was sustained, this increase in risk disappeared.”
Additionally, the American Cancer Society warns that alcohol consumption can increase your risk for many different types of cancer. Considering cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box and esophagus, for example, alcohol “clearly” increases risk. That being said, the ACS notes that drinking and smoking together puts you at a much higher risk for these cancers than drinking or smoking alone.
Alcohol Can Increase the Risk of Developing Breast Cancer
“This might be because alcohol can help harmful chemicals in tobacco get inside the cells that line the mouth, throat, and esophagus,” the ACS website states. “Alcohol may also limit how these cells can repair damage to their DNA caused by the chemicals in tobacco.”
When it comes to liver cancer, “long-term alcohol use has been linked to an increased risk.” When you regularly drink a lot of alcohol, liver damage can occur and lead to inflammation and scarring a possible explanation for the increased risk.
We also know there’s a clear link between breast cancer and alcohol consumption. In November 2017, the American Society of Clinical Oncology published a statement citing evidence that links alcohol to multiple cancers and calling for reduced alcohol consumption as a way to cut people’s cancer risk. But many women said they had been drinking more during the pandemic, and 70 percent weren’t aware of the resulting increased cancer risk, according to a SurvivorNet survey in February 2021.
RELATED: Warning to Drinkers: ‘Strong Link’ Found Between Alcohol and Deadly Cancers
The ACS also reports that alcohol use has been linked with a higher risk of cancers of the colon and rectum with stronger evidence for this in men than in women, though studies have found the link in both sexes.
Does Alcohol Impact the Risks for Colon and Other Cancers?
Dr. Heather Yeo, a colorectal cancer surgeon at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, also previously spoke with SurvivorNet, revealing she believes alcohol increases risk for certain cancers but acknowledged that the data was mixed, especially for colon cancer.
“I do think that high levels of alcohol certainly predispose to a certain number of cancers, including pancreatic and liver cancer, and may predispose to colon cancer,” she said.
“But there’s also some data that shows that low levels of alcohol, or a glass of wine here and there, may actually lower your risk of colon cancer.”
Eating Healthy Food Reduces Inflammation
A diet that reduces inflammation in the body can help reduce cancer, many experts say.
Normally, when your body recognizes something as being foreign or potentially dangerous alcohol, bacteria, or pollen inflammation helps the immune system fight off these invaders.
What actually happens is that damaged cells start releasing chemicals like histamines that sound off an alarm. They cause blood vessels to leak fluids into tissues. The tissues start swelling. Then white blood cells rush toward the damaged cells and help get rid of the toxins and dead tissue.
Chronic inflammation is linked to several diseases. It can lead to cancer. It also causes heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and Alzheimer’s, according to Krista Maruschak, a registered dietician at Cleveland Clinic.
The role of diet and exercise in cancer risk
The encouraging news here is that you can reduce inflammation by reducing your intake of foods that cause inflammation. These so-called “pro-inflammatory” foods include white breads, pastas, pastries, sodas, red meats and processed meats.
You’ve heard it before, but the science is there.
Eat more “anti-inflammatory” foods instead, Maruschak recommends.
- Incorporate as many fruits and vegetables as you can throughout the day.
- Replace refined carbohydrates with whole grains like whole wheat bread and brown rice.
- Replace high-fat red meats with lean meats like chicken, turkey and fish.
- Incorporate more plant-based proteins, like beans and lentils,
- Add spices to your diet that have various anti-inflammatory properties, like cinnamon and turmeric.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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