Rise in Early-Onset Cancer Not Linked to Rise in Clinically Meaningful Cancer Occurrence
A slight increase in mortality was seen for colorectal and endometrial cancer, while stable or declining mortality alongside increasing diagnoses for the other cancers suggests that the trend is accounted for by increased detection.
According to an article published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the increase in early-onset cancer incidence does not consistently indicate an increase in the occurrence of clinically meaningful cancer.
Patel, MD, MPH, from Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues examined whether increasing rates of early-onset cancer represent a true increase in cancer occurrence or increased diagnostic scrutiny.
The researchers note that since 1992, the 8 cancers with the fastest-rising incidence in US adults younger than 50 years have doubled in incidence in aggregate, while the aggregate mortality remained flat for these cancers.
Author's summary: Early-onset cancer rise not linked to clinically meaningful cases.