Roundup: Cancer Diagnoses Rising in Those Under Age 50, NIH Reports; and More News

Early-Onset Cancer Rates Increasing in the U.S., NIH Study Finds

A comprehensive study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found a notable rise in the incidence of several cancer types among individuals under the age of 50 in the United States.

Published in Cancer Discovery, the analysis reviewed national cancer data spanning from 2010 through 2019 and sheds light on concerning trends in early-onset cancers. Researchers from the NIH’s National Cancer Institute analyzed data from the U.S. Cancer Statistics database and national death certificates. In total, the study assessed trends for 33 cancer types across six age groups, including three early-onset brackets (ages 15–29, 30–39, and 40–49) and three older-onset brackets (ages 50–59, 60–69, and 70–79).

The results revealed that the incidence of 14 cancer types increased in at least one younger age group. Among these, nine cancers — including breast, colorectal, kidney, uterine, pancreatic, testicular, and three types of lymphoma — also showed increased incidence in older adults. Some cancer types, however, increased exclusively in younger populations. These included melanoma, cervical cancer, stomach cancer, myeloma, and cancers of the bones and joints.

Specific Cancers Driving the Increase

Female breast cancer saw the most significant rise in absolute numbers. An estimated 4,800 more cases were diagnosed in 2019 compared to projections based on 2010 rates. Colorectal cancer followed with approximately 2,100 additional cases, while kidney, uterine, and pancreatic cancers contributed 1,800, 1,200, and 500 additional cases, respectively. Together, these four cancers accounted for over 80 percent of the increase in early-onset cancers in 2019.

Despite these rises in incidence, the overall cancer death rate and the total cancer incidence across all age groups have not increased. In fact, 19 of the 33 cancer types showed decreased incidence in people under 50, including lung and prostate cancers.

The increase in early-onset cancers is prompting concern and further investigation into its underlying causes. In a news release from the NIH, Meredith Shiels, M.D., Ph.D., the study's lead investigator, emphasized the need to understand the factors contributing to these patterns.

“This study provides a starting point for understanding which cancers are increasing among individuals under age 50,” stated Dr. Shiels. “The causes of these increases are likely to be cancer specific, including cancer risk factors becoming more common at younger ages, changes in cancer screening or detection, and updates to clinical diagnosis or coding of cancers.”

Potential contributors to the rise include lifestyle and environmental risk factors such as rising obesity rates, changes in diet, sedentary behaviors, and possibly increased exposure to carcinogens. Advances in imaging technology, changes in screening practices, and more vigilant surveillance among high-risk individuals may also play a role by detecting cancers earlier than in previous decades.

While mortality rates for most of these early-onset cancers have not increased, exceptions were noted. Colorectal and uterine cancer death rates rose in younger age groups, underlining the need for focused public health efforts and earlier detection strategies.

The authors of the study advocate for additional research to better understand these trends, particularly through a demographic and geographic lens, both nationally and globally. There is also a critical need to identify and address risk factors unique to younger populations, researchers said.

Explore screening programs and other services at Baptist Health Cancer Care. 

Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to Early Signs of Parkinson’s Disease, New Study Finds

There may be a connection between diets high in ultra-processed foods and early signs of Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. While the study does not prove causation, it highlights a significant association that could have long-term implications for public health and dietary recommendations.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that typically presents with symptoms such as tremors, impaired balance, and slowed movement. However, the disease can begin years before these signs emerge. This early stage, referred to as prodromal Parkinson’s disease, includes subtler symptoms such as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder, depression, reduced sense of smell, daytime sleepiness, and impaired color vision.

The recent study examined these early indicators in a large group of individuals over a long period to investigate the potential influence of dietary habits—specifically, the consumption of ultra-processed foods.

The study followed 42,853 adults who had no Parkinson’s diagnosis at the outset. Participants, with an average age of 48, were tracked for up to 26 years. They underwent routine medical evaluations and completed detailed health and dietary questionnaires every two to four years.

Ultra-processed foods in the study included items such as packaged snacks, sugary beverages, processed meats, and ready-made sauces. Examples of one serving included a single can of soda, a slice of packaged cake, an ounce of potato chips, or a hot dog.

Researchers categorized participants into five groups based on their daily consumption of these foods. Those in the highest consumption group averaged 11 or more servings per day, while the lowest group consumed fewer than three servings.

Key Findings

After adjusting for variables such as age, smoking, and physical activity, the study found that individuals who consumed the most ultra-processed foods had a 2.5-times higher likelihood of experiencing three or more early signs of Parkinson’s disease, compared to those who consumed the least.

When broken down by individual symptoms, the association remained significant for nearly all prodromal indicators—except constipation. The findings suggest that diets high in ultra-processed foods may accelerate the onset of neurological changes linked to Parkinson’s disease.

“Eating a healthy diet is crucial as it has been associated with a lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases, and the dietary choices we make today can significantly influence our brain health in the future,” said lead author Xiang Gao, M.D., PhD, of the Institute of Nutrition at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, in a statement. “There’s growing evidence that diet might influence the development of Parkinson’s disease. Our research shows that eating too much processed food, like sugary sodas and packaged snacks, might be speeding up early signs of Parkinson’s disease.”

Dr. Gao added: “Choosing to eat fewer processed foods and more whole, nutritious foods could be a good strategy for maintaining brain health. More studies are needed to confirm our finding that eating less processed food may slow down the earliest signs of Parkinson’s disease.”

The study’s conclusions are based on self-reported food diaries, which can be subject to recall errors. Participants may have underestimated or misremembered the quantity and types of foods consumed. Additionally, as an observational study, it cannot definitively establish a cause-and-effect relationship.

This research adds to the growing body of evidence linking diet to brain health and neurodegenerative disease. While more studies are needed to confirm these results, the findings support current public health guidance to limit ultra-processed foods and prioritize whole, nutrient-dense options.

Heart Disease Deaths Decline for Women with Autoimmune Conditions—But Risk Still Higher Than Men

Researchers have found a disparity in cardiovascular death rates between men and women living with certain autoimmune diseases, even as overall rates of death have declined over the past two decades, according to a  study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

Autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues and organs, affect about 27 million Americans—around 8 percent of the population. While previous studies have linked these conditions to elevated cardiovascular risk, this new analysis highlights notable differences in outcomes between the sexes – with women experiencing a higher death rate.

The study centered on three of the most common immune-mediated inflammatory diseases: rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and systemic sclerosis (also known as scleroderma). These conditions are known to cause systemic inflammation, which can contribute to the development and progression of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke, and heart rhythm disorders.

Using data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) database, researchers analyzed 127,149 deaths from 1999 to 2020 that were attributed to both cardiovascular disease and one of these autoimmune conditions.

Women Face Higher Cardiovascular Risk

Despite a significant decline in cardiovascular deaths among both men and women with autoimmune disease, the mortality rate for women remained higher throughout the study period. Deaths among women declined from 3.9 per 100,000 people in 1999 to 2.1 in 2020. For men, the rate fell from 1.7 to 1.2 per 100,000.

The study’s findings revealed that stroke and coronary artery disease were the leading causes of cardiovascular-related deaths in individuals with autoimmune conditions. However, women consistently experienced higher mortality from these causes than men. Women were also more than twice as likely to die from irregular heart rhythms or cardiac arrest.

Drilling down further, the data showed stark differences in disease-specific outcomes:

• Among those with rheumatoid arthritis, the cardiovascular death rate was 1.8 per 100,000 for women—three times higher than the rate for men.
• For lupus, women had a death rate of 0.2 per 100,000, compared to 0.1 for men.
• The number of deaths from systemic sclerosis was too small to allow for a direct comparison between genders, though women are significantly more likely to develop the disease.

Women are disproportionately affected by autoimmune diseases. According to the CDC, they are up to three times more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis and nine times more likely to be diagnosed with lupus. Systemic sclerosis, though rare, also occurs more frequently in women and can affect the skin, blood vessels, digestive system, and internal organs.