Cancer is striking more people in their 30s and 40s. [View all]

Cancer is striking more people in their 30s and 40s. Here’s what you need to know.

CNN
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It’s World Cancer Day, and the outlook for winning the war against this deadly disease is both good and bad.

In the United States, deaths from cancer have dropped 33% since 1991, with an estimated 3.8 million lives saved, mostly due to advances in early detection and treatment. Still, 10 million people worldwide lost their lives to cancer in 2020.

In what doctors are calling a worrisome trend, cancer diagnoses are rising in younger people around the world.

“During the last three years, the No. 1 leading leading cause of death in the world was actually cancer, not Covid-19,” said Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer for the American Cancer Society.

Symptoms of cancer can mimic those of many other illnesses, so it can be difficult to tell them apart, experts say. Signs include unexplained weight loss or gain, swelling or lumps in the groin, neck, stomach or underarms and fever and night sweats, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Bladder, bowel, skin and neurological issues may be signs of cancer, such as changes in hearing and vision, seizures, headaches and bleeding or bruising for no reason, the institute said. But most cancers do not cause pain at first, so you can’t rely on that as a sign.

“We tell patients that if they have symptoms that do not get better after a few weeks, they should visit a doctor,” Kamal said. “It doesn’t mean the diagnosis will be cancer, however.”

Cases rise in younger people

Rather than wait for symptoms, the key to keeping cancer at bay is prevention, along with screenings to detect the disease in its early stages. That’s critical, experts say, as new cases of cancer are on the rise globally.

A surprising number of new diagnoses are in people under 50, according to a 2022 review of available research by Harvard University scientists.

Cancer risk and mortality, especially for ovarian cancer, rose as more ultraprocessed foods were eaten, a new study found.

Ultraprocessed foods linked to ovarian and other cancer deaths, study finds

Cases of breast, colon, esophagus, gallbladder, kidney, liver, pancreas, prostate, stomach and thyroid cancers have been increasing in 50-, 40- and even 30-year-olds since the 1990s.

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https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/04/health/cancer-symptoms-screening-wellness/index.html

***** In my family we have weaned ourselves off of most ultra processed foods. Already have done away with most deli meats, sausage, bacon, ham, and red meat. Grass fed beef still as an occasional treat.