By A disturbing trend is emerging in cancer diagnoses worldwide, with a significant increase in cases among adults under 50. Over the past three decades, early-onset cancer diagnoses have surged by 80% globally and 25% in the UK, according to a 2023 international analysis. Leading UK cancer experts are now shedding light on potential culprits behind this alarming pattern.
Professor Charles Swanton, oncologist and Chief Clinician at Cancer Research UK, has pointed to emerging links between this “disturbing” cancer trend and the increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods, commonly known as junk food. Speaking at the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Professor Swanton highlighted studies showing that some early-onset bowel cancers may be “initiated” by gut bacteria prevalent in those who consume low-fiber, high-sugar diets.
“What we are seeing in some studies is some tumours from patients with early-onset colorectal cancer harbour mutations that might be initiated by these microbial species,” Swanton explained. These mutations are thought to reduce the body’s ability to combat pre-cancerous cells.
Dr. Cathy Eng, a bowel cancer specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre in Nashville, corroborated this observation, noting that many young cancer patients also suffer from lifestyle-related conditions linked to poor diets, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
Matthew Lambert, nutritionist and health information and promotion manager at World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), advised: “We advise that people eat less overly processed, high in saturated fat, sugar and salt food. This includes food like cakes, biscuits, pastries, crisps, sugar-sweetened drinks, and fast food like pizza and burgers.” Lambert emphasized that these foods lack fiber and essential nutrients and should be consumed only occasionally and in small amounts.
While the direct link between junk food and cancer risk is still being studied, it’s well-established that obesity, often a result of poor diet, is a direct cause of at least 13 different types of cancers.
In addition to junk food, Professor Swanton has warned about the regular consumption of red and processed meats. At the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference in 2015, he stated that bowel cancer risk is “much higher” for those who eat red or processed meats, like ham or bacon, daily. A study presented at the conference showed that people who eat red and processed meat every day are 40% more likely to develop bowel cancer compared to those who eat it once a week or less.
The risk is believed to stem from substances called nitrates within the meat that combine with compounds in the body to damage cells. Studies show that bowel, breast, throat, and prostate cancers have seen the biggest increase in patients under 50.
However, it’s important to note that early-onset cancers are still relatively uncommon. Approximately 90% of all cancers still affect people over the age of 50, with 50% affecting those over 75, according to Cancer Research UK.
The situation is equally concerning in the United States. Dr. Nicholas DeVito, an oncologist from Duke University in North Carolina, revealed that the majority of his patients are now under 45. He attributes this shift to the prevalence of junk food diets, noting that nearly 75% of food consumed in the US is considered ultra-processed.
A 2023 study in the journal Clinical Nutrition found a “consistent significant association between intake of UPF and the risk of overall and several cancers,” including colon, breast, and pancreatic cancers. Another meta-analysis linked diets high in ultra-processed foods to more than 30 health conditions, including various cancers, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
As the medical community grapples with this rising trend, experts are calling for increased awareness and action. Dr. DeVito emphasizes the critical role of food in cancer prevention and urges for measures similar to those taken against tobacco use to be applied to harmful food products.
This emerging crisis underscores the importance of dietary choices in long-term health outcomes and highlights the need for public health initiatives to address the consumption of ultra-processed foods and red meat, particularly among younger populations.
Daily MailOnline
