The Global Rise in Early-Onset Cancers: Time to Rethink Etiologies, Surveillance, and Action
Luís Carlos Lopes-Júnior, Vitor Fiorin Vasconcellos, María Liliana Vásquez Ponce
Over the past three decades, a striking and concerning epidemiological shift has emerged worldwide: the rising incidence of early-onset cancers—those diagnosed in individuals aged 50 years or younger1-3. This trend, observed across high-income and increasingly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), cuts across a wide range of tumor types, including colorectal, breast, pancreas, stomach, and liver cancers1-4. While improved screening in certain populations may account for part of the rise, the magnitude and consistency of the increase suggest broader, systemic causes 3,5,6. It is now imperative to reassess both biological and environmental drivers of early-onset cancers and to mobilize coordinated global responses.
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