Increase in Gastric Cancer Incidences among Younger Populations Under Investigation
The increasing incidence of aggressive gastric cancer among younger adults worldwide has become a serious global health issue, according to Dr. Wanqing Chen, the lead researcher of a recent study. This trend, which affects those under 50 years old, is part of a broader increase in early-onset gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including colorectal, esophageal, and pancreatic cancers.
Factors contributing to this rise include modifiable lifestyle risk factors such as diet, obesity, smoking, and possibly changes in gut microbiota. While genetics play a role in 15-30% of cases, environmental and behavioral factors are believed to drive most of the increase among younger people.
The rise is disproportionately impacting certain populations, with rates increasing faster among women, and racial/ethnic groups such as Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous peoples. Younger birth cohorts also have substantially higher risks compared to older ones, with people born in 1990 being four times more likely to develop rectal cancer versus those born in 1950.
Prevention strategies currently emphasized include enhanced early detection methods, focusing on modifiable risk factors like promoting healthy diets, reducing smoking, maintaining healthy weight, and possibly eradicating Helicobacter pylori infection. Addressing health disparities through targeted education and healthcare access improvements for vulnerable populations is also crucial.
The global impact of this trend is significant. There has been a nearly 15% increase in early-onset GI cancer cases globally between 2010 and 2019, with gastric cancer incidence rising approximately 2-4% annually in young adults in the U.S. This has led to significant burdens on healthcare systems and urgent calls from researchers and institutions like Dana-Farber and Memorial Sloan Kettering to intensify research, prevention, and treatment efforts in young populations.
Early-onset gastric cancer patients often require more aggressive therapy and tend to have survival rates similar to or worse than older patients despite treatment, highlighting the severity of the disease in young adults.
The study serves as a wake-up call for policymakers, healthcare providers, and the general public to prioritize addressing the issue of gastric cancer among younger adults. The growing prevalence of gastric cancer among younger adults signals a need for change in how the disease is approached.
The study highlights the need for the medical community and general public to recognize that gastric cancer is no longer just an "elderly" disease. East Asia remains the region with the highest concentration of gastric cancer cases. A weak connection has been observed between the disease's incidence and the Human Development Index (HDI).
Persistent stomach pain and unexplained weight loss are symptoms that can indicate advanced-stage gastric cancer. The financial burden of treating advanced-stage gastric cancer is increasing as more younger patients are diagnosed. According to the GLOBOCAN 2022 database, nearly one million new cases of gastric cancer were diagnosed in 2022, with over half a million deaths attributed to the disease. Men are at higher risk of dying from gastric cancer compared to women, regardless of geographic location.
The findings of the study showed a steady rise in cases among younger individuals in several regions, including parts of Europe, Oceania, and North America. Dr. Wanqing Chen called for new approaches tailored specifically to younger people to help address this growing problem. Adapting prevention and treatment strategies to reflect the new reality of gastric cancer among younger adults offers hope to slow or reverse the trend. Early detection tools and public awareness campaigns focused on younger demographics could significantly improve outcomes.
- To combat the increase in aggressive gastric cancer among younger adults, prevention strategies are emphasized, including promoting healthy diets, reducing smoking, maintaining healthy weight, and possibly eradicating Helicobacter pylori infection.
- Besides genetics, environmental and behavioral factors are believed to drive most of the increase in early-onset gastric cancer among younger people, with modifiable lifestyle risk factors such as diet, obesity, smoking, and possibly changes in gut microbiota contributing to this rise.
- The rise in gastric cancer cases among younger adults is disproportionately impacting certain populations, with rates increasing faster among women, and racial/ethnic groups such as Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous peoples.
- The financial burden of treating advanced-stage gastric cancer is increasing as more younger patients are diagnosed, making early detection and prevention efforts critical, such as enhancing early detection methods and public awareness campaigns focused on younger demographics.
