NIH

Early-onset cancer rates surge in the U.S.

May 12, 2025

Incidence rates of 14 cancer types have risen among individuals under age 50 from 2010 to 2019.

NIH researchers examined incidence and mortality trends for 33 cancer types using data from CDC’s U.S. Cancer Statistics database and national death certificate data. Incidence of 14 of the 33 cancer types increased in ≥1 of the younger age groups, with nine of these also increasing in older age groups. Notably, female breast, colorectal, kidney, uterine, and pancreatic cancers showed significant increases. Although death rates didn’t rise for most early-onset cancers, colorectal and uterine cancer deaths did increase at younger ages. The largest absolute increases were seen in female breast cancer, with about 4,800 additional cases in 2019, followed by colorectal (2,100), kidney (1,800), uterine (1,200), and pancreatic cancers (500). Only five cancer types increased in incidence among one of the younger age groups but not among any of the older age groups: melanoma, cervical cancer, stomach cancer, myeloma, and cancers of the bones and joints.

The study, published in Cancer Discovery, points to factors like rising obesity rates, updated screening guidelines, and improved imaging technologies as potential contributors to the increasing rates of early-onset cancers.

Source:

(2025, May 8). NIH. Incidence rates of some cancer types have risen in people under age 50. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/incidence-rates-some-cancer-types-have-risen-people-under-age-50