A new study published this week in BMJ Oncology stated cancer rates have skyrocketed worldwide amongst people under 50.

The researchers analyzed data from 204 countries between 1990 and 2019, saying there’s roughly a 79% increase in new cancer cases over the last three decades.

The New York Post reports:

Using data from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study — which looked at the prevalence of 29 cancers in 204 countries or regions — the researchers investigated the number of new cases, deaths, subsequent health repercussions and risk factors for people aged 14 to 49.

In 2019 alone, early-onset cancer cases in that age group totaled 3.26 million, an increase of 79.1% since 1990, according to the team of researchers from Zhejiang University School of Medicine and University of Edinburgh’s Usher Institute.

The study authors also saw an uptick in cancer-related deaths by 27.7% since 1990. Cancers of the breast, trachea, lung, bowel and stomach had some of the higher mortality rates.

Cases of windpipe and prostate cancer have seen the largest increase since 1990, and breast cancer had the highest incidence rate of early-onset cases, the researchers found, while cases of early-onset liver cancer saw a decline.

According to a CBS Evening News segment, the researchers cited poor diets, alcohol and tobacco use, physical activity, and obesity as primary factors.

WATCH:

CBS News added:

Of the 29 types of cancer that were studied, breast cancer in 2019 accounted for the most early-onset cases, 16.5%, as well as the most early-onset deaths, 12.84%.

Meanwhile, both early-onset prostate cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer showed the fastest increases in incident rates of any types of cancer over that 30-year period.

“Those numbers are remarkable,” said Dr. Christopher Flowers, an oncologist at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

The study said that while genetics is a contributing factor to the increase, poor diet, alcohol and tobacco use, physical inactivity and obesity also play major roles.

Phinance Technologies founder and former BlackRock portfolio manager Edward Dowd called the study “clever propaganda.”

“Clever propaganda: A study using the dates from 1990 to 2019…30 years to get to 79% which annualized is 2.63% a year. Does the study explain a 35% increase in excess cancer claims in the UK disability system for 2022? Which is a 15 standard deviation event in case you are interested,” Dowd said.

Read the full study at BMJ Oncology.

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