Why cancer in young adults is rising – and why their needs are different

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/why-cancer-in-young-adults-is-rising-and-why-their-needs-are-different Cancer has long been seen as a disease of ageing. Yet across Singapore and worldwide, more people in their 20s, 30s and early 40s are being diagnosed.This shift is reshaping oncology and raising urgent questions about why younger adults are developing cancer – and how best to care for them.While researchers are still working to understand the causes, one thing is already clear: cancer affects younger adults very differently from older patients, prompting the emergence of adolescent and young adult oncology – a growing field dedicated to their unique medical and life-stage needs.A global rise in early-onset cancersAcross multiple countries, cancers diagnosed before age 50 are increasing, especially colorectal, breast and some blood cancers. Clinicians in Singapore are observing the same trend.The causes appear multifactorial. Researchers are studying the roles of obesity, sedentary lifestyles, ultra-processed diets, chronic stress, poor sleep and gut microbiome disruption.Earlier and longer exposure to environmental pollutants, plastics and endocrine-disrupting chemicals may also contribute. Reproductive pattern, such as delayed childbirth and shorter breastfeeding, have been linked to higher risk of certain cancers, particularly breast cancer.At the same time, the picture is not uniform. Some cancers are not rising in younger adults.Public health measures have reduced others: HPV vaccination has lowered cervical cancer risk; hepatitis B vaccination has reduced liver cancer in many populations; smoking-related cancers are declining in some groups.Together, these trends underscore that cancer risk reflects a complex interplay of genetics, lifestyle, environment and preventive care.