Mortality rising for 2 cancer types in young adults: Mass General Brigham

Incidence and mortality from uterine and colorectal cancers has increased globally among young adults, particularly in countries with higher Human Development Index scores, according to a study published Nov. 14 in Military Medical Research.

For the study, researchers from Somerville, Mass.-based Mass General Brigham utilized the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents and World Health Organization databases to analyze cancer incidence and mortality data between 2000 and 2017.

Here are five notes on the study:

1. At least 10 countries had significant average annual percentage increases of incidence for early-onset cancers among men and women.
   
   For women the increase was seen in 10 cancer types: thyroid, breast, melanoma, uterine, colorectal, kidney, cervical, pancreatic, multiple myeloma and Hodgkin lymphoma.
   
   For men the increase was seen in seven cancer types: thyroid, kidney, testis, prostate, colorectal, melanoma and leukemia.
   
   
2. Compared to late-onset cancer incidence, six early-onset cancers had significantly higher average annual percentage changes: colorectal, cervical, pancreatic and multiple myeloma for women; and prostate, colorectal and kidney cancer for men.
   
   The steeper increase in early-onset cancers compared with late-onset cancers was mainly observed in countries with a very high Human Development Index score. Higher Human Development Index scores indicate a country has a strong investment in the health, knowledge and economic well-being of its citizens.
   
   
3. Researchers found a strong correlation between increasing obesity prevalence and the rising incidence of early-onset cancers related to obesity. The correlation was identified in several countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Korea, the U.S. and Sweden.
   
   
4. Cancer mortality continues to increase among women with uterine cancer in Japan, Korea, the United Kingdom, the U.S. and Ecuador, and among men with colorectal cancer in Argentina, Canada, the United Kingdom and the U.S.
   

5. “The fact that mortality of colorectal cancer and uterine cancer is also rising in several countries means that these cancers are not just being detected earlier — they are causing real harm,” Tomotaka Ugai, MD, PhD, a corresponding author of the study said in a Dec. 29 news release from Mass General Brigham. “This growing burden could strain healthcare systems, as younger patients often require long-term treatment and support. It also raises questions about prevention: how can we reduce risk factors earlier in life? Public health strategies may need to shift toward younger populations, focusing on diet, physical activity and awareness of symptoms.”

Read the full study here.