“A tsunami to which must be prepared”: the cases of digestive cancers explode among young people

“A tsunami to which must be prepared”: the cases of digestive cancers explode among young people


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Several studies, same trend

In 2023, a study published in The British Medical Journal, estimated that The global incidence of early cancer (under 50) increased by 79.1 % worldwide between 1990 and 2019. According to this same study, projections indicate that the world number of cases and deaths linked to early cancers will increase reciprocally by 31 % and 21 % by 2030.

More recently, it was a study published in December 2024 in The Lancet Oncology that was talked about. According to the results, cancers should increase by 12 % worldwide among the 15 – 39 year olds, between 2022 and 2050.

In France, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 15,000 patients aged 20 to 40 were affected by cancer in 2022. According to the results of the Globocan study of WHO, between 1998 and 2017, the standardized incidence according to the age of colorectal cancers (+5.4 %), pancreas (+4.3 %), and breast (+13 %) increased in women aged 20 to 39. In men, it is pancreatic cancers (+5.4 %) and kidney (+5.3 %) that record the most marked increases.

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Cancers of the intestine, stomach and pancreas

“In 2019, COVVID became a tsunami that exceeded us. We are exactly there concerning cancers in young subjects. Today, it is imperceptible because the number of cases which is being diagnosed is still relatively modest, but We can clearly see that the dynamics are extremely important (…) especially with regard to digestive pathologies ”, continued Professor Barlesi. As a reminder, digestive cancers concern tumors that develop throughout the digestive tract (esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, rectum, anus) as well as in other organs such as liver, pancreas and bile ducts .

Thus, according to the 2023 study, published in The BMJ Oncology, It was in particular the cancers of the intestine, the stomach and the pancreas that increased the most. Based on an American study released in the summer of 2024, the specialist quotes dizzying figures. “For people born from the 1990s, the risk of developing colon cancer was multiplied by 3.6, it is 2.5 for pancreatic cancer”.

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Ultra-transformed food pointed out

How can we explain the phenomenon? It is undoubtedly multifactorial and there is no clearly established causality. Interviewed Monday February 3 on RTL, Pr. Barlesi explains that ultra-transformed food is well associated with an increased risk of digestive cancers, But without the cause and effect link being clearly established. We can also Cite exposure to microplastics, pollution, overweight, chronic inflammation (IBD) …

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40 % of cancers could be avoided

The boss of Gustave Roussy pleads for better prevention and a better understanding of cancers, in particular digestive. The anti-cancer center is preparing to launch the Yoda project, for Young Onset Digestive Adenocarcinom, in the first half of 2025.

Objective: to assess the possible effects of environmental pollution, nutrition and lifestyle in the occurrence of digestive cancer of early appearance, identify molecular signatures in young patients, in order to develop approaches to precision medicine and propose A prevention plan adapted to digestive cancers with early appearance.

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In addition to increasing cancer in young people, Aging and population growth are two other factors that explain the explosion of cancer cases expected by 2050. “More than 35 million new cancer cases should be recorded in 2050, an increase of 77 % compared to the 20 million cases estimated in 2022,” notes WHO.

Rest that 40 % of cancers could be avoided. The levers of action: tobacco, alcohol, sedentary lifestyle and food, in particular. Gustave Roussy thus launched Inception, dedicated to prevention and early management of cancers. It is a question of identifying people at risk, depending on lifestyles, but also personal and family history and to offer them personalized support.

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Source: Health destination

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