An alarming trend has emerged: a significant increase in cancer diagnoses among young adults. For instance, one in five new colorectal cancer patients in the U.S. is now under 55, nearly double the rate from 1995. Researchers attribute this rise to factors like increasing obesity rates, consumption of ultra-processed foods, higher alcohol intake, sleep disruptions, and exposure to environmental toxins such as microplastics.
Read the article to know why these lifestyle and environmental changes may be altering cancer risks for younger populations.
https://www.vox.com/explain-it-to-me/389508/cancer-early-young-adults-colon-breast-explained?
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “recap” mean? “You’ve surely seen the headlines, but let’s recap the most pertinent data: One in five new colorectal cancer patients in the United States is under 55, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of data from the National Cancer Institute. “ Use it in a sentence.
- What does “declining” mean? “Some of them had previously been declining but are now on the upswing again.” Use it in a sentence.
- What does “catch up” mean? “These risk factors are not as well understood as obesity or lack of exercise, but scientists are now racing to catch up.” Use it in a sentence.
Discussion Questions:
- What types of cancer are increasingly being diagnosed in younger adults, particularly under age 55?
- How has the rate of colorectal cancer in young adults changed since 1995?
- What lifestyle factors are believed to contribute to the rising cancer rates among younger populations?
- In what ways might environmental exposures like microplastics and pollutants influence cancer development?
- Why is it important to address cancer risks early in life rather than waiting until later adulthood?