Is early-onset cancer an emerging global epidemic? Current evidence and future implications
Abstract
Over the past several decades, the incidence of early-onset cancers, often defined as cancers diagnosed in adults <50 years of age, in the breast, colorectum, endometrium, oesophagus, extrahepatic bile duct, gallbladder, head and neck, kidney, liver, bone marrow, pancreas, prostate, stomach and thyroid has increased in multiple countries.
Increased use of screening programmes has contributed to this phenomenon to a certain extent, although a genuine increase in the incidence of early-onset forms of several cancer types also seems to have emerged.
Evidence suggests an aetiological role of risk factor exposures in early life and young adulthood. Since the mid-20th century, substantial multigenerational changes in the exposome have occurred (including changes in diet, lifestyle, obesity, environment and the microbiome, all of which might interact with genomic and/or genetic susceptibilities).
However, the effects of individual exposures remain largely unknown. To study early-life exposures and their implications for multiple cancer types will require prospective cohort studies with dedicated biobanking and data collection technologies. Raising awareness among both the public and health-care professionals will also be critical. In this Review, we describe changes in the incidence of early-onset cancers globally and suggest measures that are likely to reduce the burden of cancers and other chronic non-communicable diseases.
Key points
The incidence of cancers of various organs diagnosed in adults ≤50 years of age has been rising in many parts of the world since the 1990s.
Evidence suggests an aetiological role for risk factor exposures in early life and young adulthood, although specific effects of individual exposures remain largely unknown.
The early life exposome (including, among other factors, diet, lifestyle, obesity, environmental exposures and the microbiome) has changed substantially, with variable trends observed around the world since the mid-20th century.
The early-onset cancer epidemic might be one manifestation of increasing trends in the development of many chronic diseases in young and future generations.
Prospective cohort studies using electronic health records and/or early-life biospecimen collection would enable the detailed investigation of early-life factors in relation to many future health outcomes, including cancer.
Raising awareness of the early-onset cancer epidemic and improving the early-life environment should be our immediate goals: these are likely to reduce the burden of both early-onset and later-onset cancers.
Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41571-022-00672-8
Date: Published: 06 September 2022
Authors: Tomotaka Ugai, Naoko Sasamoto, Hwa-Young Lee, Mariko Ando, Mingyang Song, Rulla M. Tamimi, Ichiro Kawachi, Peter T. Campbell, Edward L. Giovannucci, Elisabete Weiderpass, Timothy R. Rebbeck & Shuji Ogino
Source:
Ugai, T., Sasamoto, N., Lee, HY. et al. Is early-onset cancer an emerging global epidemic? Current evidence and future implications. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 19, 656–673 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41571-022-00672-8
Accepted
22 July 2022
Published
06 September 2022
Issue Date
October 2022
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41571-022-00672-8
Nutrigenomics Institute is not responsible for the comments and opinions included in this article
