Health
Cancer rates rising faster among under-50s, international study finds
October 6, 2026 at 09:57 AM
Coverage
2 reports · 1 in Arabic, 1 in English · over 5 hours
A World Cancer Research Fund analysis of English, US and Dutch data found significant increases in early-onset cancers among people under 50.
- The analysis recorded significant increases in early-onset cancers for seven types in England, five in the US and four in the Netherlands.
- In England, prostate cancer among men under 50 rose from one to 3.6 per 100,000 people between 2001 and 2023, with bowel, uterine and kidney cancers doubling.
- Mark Lawler of Queen's University Belfast called the trend "a ticking timebomb," warning the numbers would continue to grow without action.
- The fund linked the rise to obesity, poor diet, alcohol, smoking and environmental exposures, estimating 40 percent of cancers relate to modifiable risks.