As Rates of Some Cancers Increase in Younger People, Researchers Search for Answers
Research news (May 14, 2025) highlights rising incidence of several cancers in people under 50, including colorectal, breast, uterine, and kidney cancers, with the sharpest increases reported in ages 20–29. Investigators emphasize that causes remain uncertain and likely multifactorial. An NCI-led US analysis found 14 cancer types increased in at least one <50 age group during 2010–2019, and nine of those also rose in at least one >50 age band, suggesting shared drivers across ages.
As rates of some cancers increase in younger people, researchers search for answers (research news)
Reports continue to document increasing incidence of multiple cancers among people younger than 50 years, with colorectal cancer cited as a prominent example. Y. Nancy You, MD (MD Anderson) noted a shift in the average age at colorectal cancer diagnosis in the United States from 72 years (around 2009) to 67 years more recently.
Beyond colorectal cancer, more than 10 other common cancers are described as rising in <50 populations, including breast, uterine, and kidney cancers, with the most pronounced increases reported among those aged 20–29 years.
An NCI-led study (US) published in May evaluated two large databases and found that rates of 14 cancer types increased in at least one <50 age group (15–29, 30–39, 40–49) during 2010–2019. Importantly, incidence for nine of these same cancers also increased in adults >50 in at least one 10-year age band, according to lead investigator Meredith Shiels, PhD (NCI), underscoring that etiologic research may need to consider patterns across all ages.
Internationally, an American Cancer Society analysis reported that early-onset colorectal cancer rates increased in 27 of 50 countries studied, and a separate study estimated that nearly 10% of new colorectal cancers worldwide occur in people <50.
Researchers, including the NCI/Cancer Grand Challenges–funded PROSPECT program led by Yin Cao, MSc (Washington University), emphasize that drivers remain uncertain and may not have a single cause.