Early-onset cancers are rising, young adults urged to screen early

Early-onset cancers are on the rise, and experts say young adults need to start paying attention before it’s too late.

Cancer isn’t just a disease of older adults.

Breast, colorectal, pancreatic and gastrointestinal cancers are increasingly appearing in people under 50, warns specialist surgeon Fatima Hoosain.

"Since 2019, we've seen an 80% increase in prevalence of those cancers in the younger population."

And that increase is down to a multitude of factors that all contribute, she explains.

The environments we live in, increasing stress levels, and long working hours are all contributing factors.

Diet also plays a role, says Hoosain.

"Not eating enough wholefoods, a lot of the food is already being treated and genetically modified and then, of course, the obesity epidemic."

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Hoosain says the figures speak to a need for early cancer screenings and for young people not to ignore symptoms.

Delaying treatment can be deadly; early detection is everything, she says.

"The fact is, if you identify it at an early stage, it's definitely much easier to treat."

The other issue impacting early detection is that medical aid firms often overlook younger patients, sometimes turning them away for screenings because of age limits.

But Hoosain says it could end up costing the scheme more in the long run.

"We're talking in the regions of hundreds of thousands in terms of savings."

To listen to Hoosain in conversation with CapeTalk's Pippa Hudson, use the audio player below: