CBS 2: Why Are Cancer Rates Rising Among Young Adults?

CBS 2 recently interviewed Jun Gong, MD, medical director of Colorectal Cancer in the Cedars-Sinai Department of Medicine, about the rising rates of cancer among people 50 and younger, otherwise known as early-onset cancer.

Gong told CBS 2 that while older adults are still diagnosed with cancer at higher rates, 2019 rates of early-onset cancer have exceeded the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) projections.

“The medicine field as a whole is recognizing that early-onset cancers are a growing problem,” Gong said, adding that the most common cancers are “female breast cancer … followed by colorectal cancer, and rounding out that list is kidney, uterine and pancreas cancers.”

Researchers are studying whether environmental exposures are contributing to the increase, Gong said. He noted that factors such as processed foods, changes in work-life balance, disrupted sleep cycles and circadian rhythms, shift work, overnight schedules, and constant digital access may all play a role.

Until researchers identify the root causes, Gong said people should focus on prevention. That includes limiting processed foods, exercising regularly and getting consistent, quality sleep.

Gong told CBS 2 that screening guidelines also are shifting to detect cancers at earlier stages of the disease.

Mammogram screenings, for example, once started when women turned 50, but mammogram guidelines were lowered to age 40 in 2024. Colonoscopy guidelines have also changed, with the recommended age dropping from 50 to 45.

“There's a growing recognition that earlier screening may be a benefit in this population,” Gong said.

Watch the entire segment from CBS 2.