‘Concerning trajectory’ cancer diagnosis rates among under 50s, expert says

An increase in people under 50 being diagnosed with cancer is not limited to bowel cancer, according to the World Cancer Research Fund.

The charity highlighted that rates of prostate, kidney, womb, liver, pancreas and breast cancers have all risen among adults in this age bracket.

While the majority of cases are still found in older adults, the charity stated that the current trajectory is "concerning".

The NHS’s top doctor urged people to see a GP for any potential symptoms such as a lump, unusual bleeding or unexplained weight loss, saying: “Don’t put off a simple check-up because you think you’re too young, it could save your life.”

The World Cancer Research Fund analysed NHS data in England and compared the rates of diagnoses among people in 2001 and 2023.

Increases found by the charity include:

• There were 158 cases of prostate cancer diagnosed among men under the age of 50 in 2001, equating to one case per every 100,000 men under 50, this rose to 640 cases in 2023, the equivalent of 3.6 cases per 100,000.
• Bowel cancer cases among younger adults increased from 1,289 in 2001 to 2,989 in 2023, this represents a rise from 3.9 cases per 100,000 adults under 50 in 2001 rising to 8.4 per 100,000 in 2023.
• Some 510 adults under 50 were diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2001 compared to 1,065 in 2023 the equivalent rise of 1.5 cases per 100,000 adults under 50 in 2001, rising to three per 100,000 in 2023.
• Rates of women aged under 50 diagnosed with womb cancer increased from 1.8 per 100,000 in 2001 to 3.9 per 100,000 in this age bracket in 2023 – an increase of 335 cases in 2001 to 698 in 2023.
• Liver cancer rates among adults under 50 rose from 0.5 per 100,000 in 2001 to 0.8 per 100,000 in 2023, with actual case numbers rising from 160 in 2001 to 278 in 2023.
• During the same time frame early cases of pancreatic cancer rose from 255 to 346 – with incidence rates rising from 0.8 per 100,000 in 2001 to one per 100,000 in 2023.
• Women under the age of 50 diagnosed with breast cancer increased from 6,886 in 2001 to 8,507 in 2023, with incidence rates rising from 42 per 100,000 in 2001 to 47.5 per 100,000 in 2023.

Figures from Cancer Research UK show that between the early 1990s and 2019, overall cancer incidence rates in 25 to 49-year-olds in the UK increased by 24%.

Dr Giota Mitrou, executive director of research and policy at WCRF, said: “These figures should make us pause and think because this current trajectory is concerning.

“Behind every figure is a person facing cancer earlier than they, their family and often their doctor would expect.

“These findings show that the early-onset cancer picture in England is far wider and more complex, involving several cancers rather than bowel cancer alone.

“While cancer is still much more common in older adults, these changing patterns among younger generations need to be treated as a serious research and cancer prevention priority.”

WCRF said that the biological mechanisms behind early onset cancers are not fully understood as it called for more studies to find what is driving the increase.

Dr Vanessa Gordon-Dseagu, WCRF’s international research translation manager, added: “This analysis further highlights that increases in early-onset cancers are not confined to one cancer type but are seen across several cancers.

“We need to understand what is driving these trends, including modifiable risk factors and exposures experienced earlier in life, changes in screening and diagnosis, tumour biology, and whether some groups are being affected more than others.

“This information will help policymakers determine where action would have the greatest impact, both for younger generations today and for those growing up in the future.”

It comes after a new study was launched to investigate why bowel cancer cases are rising among younger adults.

Experts said early-onset bowel cancer has increased “substantially” around the world since 1990, and the UK has one of the fastest rising rates.

The trial, known as Prospect-UK, will track 250,000 people over time, looking at diet and lifestyle factors.

Jon Shelton, head of cancer intelligence at Cancer Research UK, said: “Cancer rates in people under 50 are rising, both in England and worldwide.

“While the disease still mostly affects older people, with around half of cancer cases in the UK diagnosed in those over 70, finding out you have cancer at any age is incredibly difficult.

“Higher rates of cancer detection are likely to be playing a role, including in prostate cancer, some of which could be overdiagnosis, where a cancer is spotted that won’t go on to cause someone harm.

“For other cancers, like bowel cancer, risk factors such as diet and being overweight or obese are likely to be impacting these trends.

“More research is needed to understand the rise in younger people, which is why Cancer Research UK is funding the PROSPECT study, which aims to understand more about these cancers and how to prevent them.”