The new face of cancer: young and female

The American Cancer Society reported Thursday that more Americans are surviving cancer, but the cancer is striking younger people, middle-aged adults and women more often.

And despite improvements in overall survival rates, Black and Native American people die from some cancers at rates two to three times higher than the death rate for white Americans.

These trends mark a significant shift for a disease that has long been considered a disease of aging and once affected far more men than women.

This change reflects a decline in smoking-related and prostate cancers among older men and an alarming increase in cancers among people born after the 1950s.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, but it is the leading cause of death for Americans under 85. The new report predicts that there will be approximately 2,041,910 new cases and 618,120 Americans will die from the disease this year.

Of the 10 most common cancer types, six are on the rise, including breast cancer and uterine cancer. Colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma, and pancreatic cancer among people under 65 are also on the rise.

“These negative trends are skewed toward women,” said Rebecca L. Siegel, an epidemiologist with the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report.

“Of all the cancers that are increasing, some are also increasing in men, but it's disproportionately so. Much of this increase is occurring in women.”

Women are also being diagnosed at a younger age. The incidence of cancer is increasing not only in women aged 50 to 64, but also in women under 50 (so-called young-onset cancers).

Despite an increase in some early-onset cancers, such as colorectal and testicular cancer, “overall incidence rates remain flat for men under 50 and decline for men aged 50 to 64.” “We're doing it,” Siegel said.

The report outlines several other worrying trends. One is that new cases of cervical cancer, which is widely considered to be preventable, are increasing in the United States among women ages 30 to 44.

The incidence of cervical cancer has declined sharply since the mid-1970s, when Pap smear screening, which detects precancerous changes, became widely available. However, a recent survey found that many women are putting off visiting their gynecologist.

In a Harris poll of more than 1,100 U.S. women conducted last year for medical technology company BD, 72% said they had postponed doctor visits, including screenings. Half of them said they did not know how often they should get tested for cervical cancer.

(Current recommendations are a bit complicated. Starting at age 21, have a Pap smear every three years, or every five years a combined Pap smear and test for human papillomavirus, which can cause cervical cancer.) )

Another disturbing trend began in 2021, when lung cancer rates among women under 65 exceeded rates among men for the first time. For women under 65, the rate was 15.7 per 100,000, compared to 15.4 per 100,000 for men.

Lung cancer has been on the decline over the past decade, but more rapidly in men. Women started smoking later than men and took longer to quit.

Smoking has also increased among people born after 1965, the year after the Surgeon General first warned that tobacco causes cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, with approximately 500 cancer deaths occurring every day in 2025, most of them from lung cancer.

“Given their carcinogenic potential and widespread popularity, there is growing concern that electronic cigarettes and e-cigarettes may contribute to this burden in the future,” the report says.

Breast cancer incidence has also increased slowly over the years, increasing by about 1 percent each year from 2012 to 2021. The fastest increases have been seen among women under 50, and also among Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders. woman.

This increase is caused by hormone-driven detection of local tumors and certain cancers.

Part of the increase is due to changes in birth patterns. Childbirth and breastfeeding protect against breast cancer, but more American women are choosing to postpone childbearing or not have children at all.

Other risk factors include genetics, family history, and heavy drinking habits, which are increasing in women under 50. In older women, excess weight may play a role in cancer risk.

Uterine cancer is the only cancer where survival rates have actually declined over the past 40 years, the ACS said.

The mortality rate for liver cancer in women and the mortality rate for oral cancer in both men and women are also increasing.

Pancreatic cancer has increased in incidence in both men and women over recent decades. It is currently the third leading cause of cancer death. As with many other cancers, obesity is thought to play a role.

Little progress has been made in the understanding and treatment of pancreatic cancer. Mortality rates have been rising since records began, from about 5 per 100,000 for both men and women in the 1930s to 13 per 100,000 for men and 10 per 100,000 for women. is rising.

Many scientists and doctors are frustrated by the lack of progress. Cancer is often very advanced by the time it is diagnosed, and the five-year survival rate is only 13 percent.

Dr. Amy Abernethy said, “What drives the growth of pancreatic cancer, what treatments can stop the progression of pancreatic cancer, and what can prevent pancreatic cancer in the first place. “And we need to make progress in understanding specifically how we can screen for pancreatic cancer early.” Oncologist who co-founded Highlander Health, a company focused on accelerating clinical research.

Some experts are beginning to recognize that in addition to the usual causes such as lifestyle, genetics, and family history, environmental exposures may be contributing to early cancer development.

Neil Iyengar, an oncologist at Memorial Sloan University, said: “The increase in not just one cancer but a variety of cancers in young people, especially young women, is more widespread than differences in individual or population genetics. I think that suggests something is going on.” Kettering Cancer Center.

“This strongly suggests that environmental exposures and our lifestyles in the United States may be contributing to the rise in cancer among young people.”

Public health efforts aimed at reducing high-risk lifestyle behaviors are focusing on high-risk populations and older Americans, who still bear the brunt of the cancer burden, he said. pointed out.

However, risk factors for young people may be different.

For example, new research suggests that maintaining regular sleep patterns may also help prevent cancer, he said.

Siegel said lifestyle and behavior changes can reduce the risk of many cancers.

“I don't think people realize how much control they have over their cancer risk,” she says. “There are many things we can all do. Quitting smoking is the most important thing.”

Especially maintaining a healthy weight. Do not consume alcohol or consume it in moderation. Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in red and processed meat. physical activity. and regular cancer screenings.

“There are many things you can do, but it's a personal choice, so choose what you can focus on,” she said. “Small changes can make a difference.”