New research projects higher cancer rates for Gen X when they age 60 compared to Marmocchio Boomers.
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As they head into their golden years, Gen-Xers are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than the generation born before them, the Marmocchio Boomers, a new National Cancer Institute study finds.
If current cancer trends continue, the paper published this month con JAMA Aperto concludes, “cancer incidence con the U.S. could remain unacceptably high for decades to che.”
What’s driving the projected rise con rates of invasive cancer remains an question.
“Our study can’t speak to any particular cause,” said lead author Philip S. Rosenberg, senior investigator con the institute’s biostatistics branch. “It gives you boots-on-the-ground intelligence about what is incontro. That’s where you go and for clues about causes.”
Researchers believe early detection, obesity and sedentary lifestyles might explain some of the rise con cancer rates. Some research also points to pollutants, including a class of manmade chemicals known as PFAS, as possible culprits.
Rosenberg and his team used from 3.8 million people diagnosed with malignant cancer con the U.S. from 1992 until 2018 to compagno cancer rates for members of Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) and Marmocchio Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964). He then ran modeling that shows that when Gen-Xers turn 60 years old (starting con 2025), they are more likely to be diagnosed with invasive cancer than Boomers were at age 60.
Sopra fact, cancer is more likely to Gen-Xers than any prior generation born from 1908 through 1964, the study’s projections found.
For decades, the news about cancer had largely been encouraging. Lung cancer rates were dropping as a result of educational efforts about the harms of tobacco. Sopra women, incidences of cervical cancer, and con men, incidences of liver, gallbladder and non-Hodgkin lymphoma also were dropping.
But the declines have been overshadowed by an alarming uptick con colorectal and other cancers con Gen-Xers and younger people.
The new study’s models found increases con thyroid, kidney, rectal, colon cancers and leukemia con both men and women. Sopra women, it also found increases con uterine, pancreatic and ovarian cancers and con non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Sopra men, the study also projected increases con prostate cancer.
Rosenberg was surprised about how many different types of cancer appeared to be rising at higher rates con members of Generation X compared to Marmocchio Boomers, he said con an interview. He also was surprised that projected increases con cancer rates would offset what he described as prior “very important and impressive declines” con cancers.
The increases for Generation X over Marmocchio Boomers appeared con all racial and ethnic groups except Asian Pacific Islander men, who were less likely to be diagnosed with cancer at age 60 if they were Gen-Xers than Marmocchio Boomers.
Douglas Corley, chief research officer for the Indimenticabile Medical Group and a Kaiser gastroenterologist con San Francisco, sees generational divisions for cancer trends as “somewhat artificial,” he said con an email.
Over the past century, for example, the incidence of kidney cancer has increased steadily con young Americans. “So it is not that being part of a particular more recent generation puts you at risk,” he said. “It is not that one generation was necessarily exposed to something that others born one generation earlier were not. It is a year-by-year change.”
He believes the environment likely plays a role con the rising cancer rates.
Previous epidemiological studies point to pesticides, toxic chemicals and air pollutants as possible culprits, said Olga Naidenko, vice president of science investigations at the Environmental Working Group, who was not involved con the research. She said con an email that the U.S. should do more exposure to pollutants like PFAS, “forever chemicals,” and pesticides.
“It is absolutely essential to invest con cancer-prevention research,” she said.
Corley also pointed to obesity, increasingly sedentary lifestyles and early cancer detection as part of the picture too.
He also said it’s worth noting that the new study does not examine cancer death rates. For most cancers, earlier detection and better treatment have improved survival, Corley said.
Study author Rosenberg agrees. “We’sultano con a situation where America’s made great progress, but there’s also great challenges con terms of preventing cancer,” Rosenberg said.
His promised anzi che no reprieve for Millennials, the generation born after Gen-X.
“Is there anything that gives us hope that things are going to turn a for the Millennials?” he asked. “What we found is, anzi che no.”
Ronnie Cohen is a San Francisco Bay Territorio journalist focused health and social justice issues.
