It may seem counterintuitive, but if the trend continues, the generations appearing after the baby boomers could have a higher cancer rate.
Some of the provisional figures that stand out for the moment – Generation JAMA Network Open. But other warning signs are warning signs: rising obesity rates among this generation, lack of exercise, poor diet and other risk factors.
For now, cancer rates are increasing faster among members of Generation X (born from 1965 to 1980) than among their parents and grandparents when they were the same age. Which means that it could be the same in a decade or two for millennials (born from 1981 to 1996).
The study, carried out by two biostatisticians from the National Cancer Institute of the United States, is based on 3.8 million diagnoses of cancers of different types in this country. Compared to baby boomers, both Generation X men and women appear to be heading towards an increased number of thyroid, kidney and colon cancers, in addition to prostate cancer for men. The positive side is that the estimates, relative to their parents, are down for lung cancer — which could be attributed to the fight against smoking — and for cervical cancer.
An increasing incidence of various cancers, including colorectal cancer in those under 50, had already been noted, the journal noted last year. Science News. This is also a phenomenon that is not unique to the United States, but is observed in other rich countries. If this trajectory is confirmed, the two researchers conclude, “the incidence of cancer could remain high for decades”.
