The incidence of cancer in young adults is increasing alarmingly

Unfortunately, there are a range of early-onset cancers that are being diagnosed today in persons who are on average 10 to 15 years younger than those diagnosed with a similar cancer a mere 30 years ago. Early-onset cancers (EOCs) are cancers occurring in persons between the ages of 18 and 49.

In the 1990s we began to see a rise in EOCs. Between 1990 and 2019, the incidence of EOCs increased globally by 79 percent. During that same period, the number of deaths from EOCs rose by 28 percent.

Many of these EOCs are more aggressive and less responsive to treatment than a similar cancer found in an older person. Especially breast, lung, colorectal, and gastric cancers.

Types of EOCs
EOCs that we are increasingly seeing:

● Breast cancer
● Colorectal cancer
● Gastric cancer
● Lung cancer
● Pancreatic cancer
● Cervical cancer
● Ovarian cancer
● Prostate cancer
● Nasopharyngeal and mouth cancers
● Brain tumours
● Thyroid cancer
● Liver cancer
● Gallbladder cancer
● Bile duct
● Soft-tissue sarcomas
● Bone tumours
● Kidney cancer
● Testicular cancer
● Lymphomas
● Melanoma

Contributing factors to EOCs

It is postulated that there is no single factor solely responsible for the rise in EOCs; rather, it is likely as a result of the confluence of multiple factors that are contributing. From genetics, in addition to factors in the uterus, infancy, childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, respectively, culminating in the occurrence of EOCs.

These factors include:

● Family history
● Sedentary lifestyle
● Ultra-processed foods
● Fast food/ junk food
● Being overweight
● Insulin resistance/ Type 2 diabetes
● Accelerated biological ageing
● Reduced consumption of home grown foods
● Oral sex
● Babies being fed milk formula as opposed to breast fed
● Omnipresence of pollutants, microplastics, pesticides, herbicides, etc in the environment, water, and food.
● Widespread use of endocrine disruptive chemical hair straighteners and hair dyes.
● Undiagnosed and untreated H. pylori
● More women having their first child after the age of 30
● Having the first period at 10 or younger
● Less diverse microbiome in the guts of younger adults primarily secondary to poor dietary choices and antibiotic use.

● Heavy alcohol consumption
● Reduced sleep
● Night shift work
● Increased nighttime exposure to artificial light in the bedroom.

Because of a low index of suspicion regarding a young person’s possible cancer-related symptoms, it is not uncommon for the young, especially men, to delay seeking medical attention. Additionally, the health provider may initially overlook the patient’s cancer-related symptoms. Hence, in many instances, when the diagnosis of cancer is finally confirmed in a young person, the cancer may be at a relatively advanced stage.

Recommendations for reducing one’s chances of developing and succumbing to EOCs

The following can significantly reduce your chances:

● Zero tobacco use.
● Avoid second-hand smoke.
● Minimise alcohol consumption.
● Normalise weight.
● Set aside a minimum of 150 minutes a week for exercise.
● Sit less.
● Eat more vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and foods with fibre.
● Make ground provisions a staple of your diet (sweet potatoes, yam, dasheen, tania, eddoes, cassava).
● Up intake of cruciferous vegetables (callaloo, spinach, bok choy, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage).
● Consume foods high in lycopene (tomatoes, papaya, guavas, watermelon, pink grapefruit, carrots).
● Breast feed babies
● Limit consumption of red meats – beef, pork, lamb, mutton, goat.
● Mainly eat fish and poultry (without the skin and fat).
● Add more garlic, ginger, onions, and turmeric to your cooking.
● Up intake of tropical berries (guavas, papaya, pomegranate, passion fruit, breadfruit, pumpkin).
● Avoid ultra-processed foods, and fast foods.
● Minimise consuming foods that increase chronic inflammation – sugar, sugary drinks, foods made from wheat, oils with Omega 6 fatty acids.
● Consume primarily fresh and locally cultivated foods.
● Use chemical hair straighteners and hair dyes sparingly.
● Get genetically tested if there is a family or personal history of breast, colon, uterine, or ovarian cancer.
● Avoid the following – disposable plastic bottles, plastic containers, plastic cups, and plastic utensils – for chemicals within can significantly increase the chances of developing a range of cancers.
● Limit exposure to direct sunlight between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm to a total of 90 minutes per week
● Use condoms to reduce chances of contracting HIV and Hepatitis B.
● Annual H. Pylori and Hepatitis C screening.
● Vaccinate against Hepatitis B and HPV.
● Antibiotics should only be used when necessary.
● Avoid night shift work if possible.
● If there is artificial night light making its way into your bedroom consider sleeping in a sleep mask.
● Sleep 7-8 hours at night.
● Use a probiotic supplement after a course of antibiotics or diarrhoea.
● Regular check-ups and health screenings that are adjusted according to your personal and family’s cancer history. If there is a family history of any type of cancer, the screening process for this or a related cancer should begin 10-15 years before the age that the family member was diagnosed with that particular type of cancer.
Your best chance of beating cancer is to reduce the chances of it occurring in the first place.

Author: Dr. C. Malcolm Grant – Family Physician, Family Care Clinic, Arnos Vale.
Former tutor in the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados. For appointments: clinic@familycaresvg.com, 1(784)570-9300 (Office), 1(784)455-0376 (WhatsApp).
Disclaimer: The information provided in the above article is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you are seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. Dr. C. Malcolm Grant, Family Care Clinic or The Searchlight Newspaper or their associates, respectively, are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information provided above.