Rise in Early-Onset Cancer Not Linked to Rise in Clinically Meaningful Cancer Occurrence
According to a recent article, the increase in early-onset cancer incidence does not consistently indicate an increase in the occurrence of clinically meaningful cancer.
Researchers, including Patel, M.D., M.P.H., from Harvard Medical School in Boston, examined the relationship between increasing rates of early-onset cancer and diagnostic scrutiny.
- Since 1992, eight cancers (thyroid, anus, kidney, small intestine, colorectum, endometrium, pancreas, and myeloma) with the fastest-rising incidence (>1 percent per year) in U.S. adults younger than 50 years have doubled in incidence in aggregate.
- The aggregate mortality remained flat for these cancers, suggesting that the trend is due to increased detection.
Stable or declining mortality alongside increasing diagnoses for many cancers suggests that trend is due to increased detection.
Author's summary: Early-onset cancer rise not linked to clinically meaningful occurrence.