Health officials warn cancer diagnoses in adults under-50 rising at 'concerning' rate

The number of people under 50 diagnosed with prostate cancer in England has quadrupled since 2001, and early-onset bowel, kidney and uterine cancers have more than doubled.

While most cancers are still diagnosed in older people and rates have increased globally, the rate of rise in early-onset cases is greater than in other age groups.

WCRF analysed NHS data in England and compared diagnosis rates between 2001 and 2023 for their research.

In England, the incidence rate of prostate cancer in men under 50 jumped from one in every 100,000 people in 2001 to 3.6 in every 100,000 in 2023.

Bowel cancer rates shot up from 3.9 in 100,000 to 8.4 in 100,000 over the same period.

Early-onset uterine and kidney cancer rates doubled to 3.9 and three per 100,000 people, respectively.

(file photo) WCRF noted increased diagnoses rates in seven different varieties of cancer

PA

Breast cancer rates in those under 50 increased, although less sharply, from 42 to 47.5 per 100,000 in 2023, with increases also recorded in early-onset pancreatic and liver cancer rates.

The charity also analysed cancer rates in the Netherlands and the US.

Significant increases in kidney and bowel cancer were recorded in both countries, and in the US, rising rates of uterine and pancreatic cancer were observed.

Dr Giota Mitrou, executive director of research and policy at WCRF, said the findings should make Britons "pause and think because this current trajectory is concerning".

She added: "Behind every figure is a person facing cancer earlier than they, their family and often their doctor would expect.

"These findings show that the early-onset cancer picture in England is far wider and more complex, involving several cancers rather than bowel cancer alone.

"While cancer is still much more common in older adults, these changing patterns among younger generations need to be treated as a serious research and cancer prevention priority."

While many cancer diagnosis rates have increased, all three countries recorded drops in lung cancer rates in under-50s, reflecting a continued decline in smoking. The UK has passed legislation to create a tobacco-free generation for those born after 2008.

WCRF said a number of factors, including growing obesity levels, poor diet, insufficient exercise, alcohol consumption, smoking and environmental factors, had contributed to the trend.

But the charity noted the biological mechanisms behind early-onset cancers were not fully understood, and a greater awareness of cancer symptoms means people are likely to be diagnosed younger.

The report follows King's College London's announcement that it will recruit 250,000 volunteers for research into bowel cancer rates in young people.

The Prospect-UK study will have participants complete digital surveys covering their dietary habits, daily routines, environmental exposures, and overall wellbeing.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: "These findings underline why early diagnosis is at the heart of our national cancer plan.

"To help catch cancer sooner, we’re investing in new technologies to speed up diagnosis, expanding genetic testing, and supporting research to better understand the causes of cancer and who may be most at risk.

"We're also prioritising research into less-survivable and rarer cancers, and our ambition is for three-quarters of people diagnosed by 2035 to be cancer-free or living well with cancer, saving 320,000 lives.

"Our newly announced national cancer board has a specific representative for children and young people, as we’re aware of the devastating impact of getting cancer at an earlier stage of life."