There are rising cases of breast, colorectal and other cancers in people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. What is going on?

Over the past 10 years, rates of colorectal cancer among 25 to 49 year olds have increased in 24 different countries, including the UK, US, France, Australia, Canada, Norway and Argentina.

The investigation’s early findings, presented by an international team at the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) congress in Geneva in September 2024, were as eye-catching as they are concerning.

[…]

Breast cancer is one form of cancer where the trend is apparent. A new report from the ACS found that while deaths from breast cancer in women have dropped by around 10% in the past decade, incidence rates are rising by 1% per year overall – and 1.4% per year for women under the age of 50.

[…]

Cancer specialists say that patients presenting with diseases like pancreatic cancer, an illness where most people are diagnosed in their early 70s, are sometimes decades younger than would usually be expected.

[…]

  • Megaman_EXE ( Megaman_EXE@beehaw.org ) 
    3·
    2 years ago

    I used to take zantac daily from age 13 to 18 and then maybe once a month or so until 28.

    I recently did a screening for colon cancer (it was surprisingly easy. They just ask you to scrape a super small sample of poop into a test tube) and it came back clear. But damn. Not looking forward to what kind of digestive tract cancer I might get in the future.

    That being said, who the heck knows. My grandmother was a heavy smoker from age 12 and she lived to 80 something so maybe I’ll get lucky lol

      • Megaman_EXE ( Megaman_EXE@beehaw.org ) 
        2·
        2 years ago

        Thank you for the additional information that’s super thoughtful of you!

        For some time, I did have a bottle of Zantac that was left in an area that did get sunlight. It’s hard to say what kind of risk I’ll have to be honest. I don’t even know how someone would tell if there was a negative consequence from it, but like you said, the odds are still probably within my favor. I mean, as long as I don’t get some kind of cancer before, I’m 80 or 90. I’ll be happy, haha. I figure there’s no point in worrying over something that might never be, but once in a blue moon, I get that tinge of worry.

        I’ll have to look into seeing if there’s any class action I can participate in. I’m in Canada, so I’m assuming my milage may vary. It’s been a year or more now, too. I’m not sure if they’ve already finished with those lawsuits by now, but I suppose it can’t hurt to check!

        Anyways, thank you again. I really do appreciate you taking the time to send me all that information. That was super kind of you!