The Rising Trend of Cancer Among Younger Individuals: Vital Cancer Statistics for 2024

A report by the American Cancer Society (ACS) predicts a record-breaking number of new cancer cases in the U.S in 2024.

The report, made public in the CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians earlier this month, evaluated general patterns in the incidence and mortality of cancer.

The prognostication from the ACS suggests that the U.S. might see roughly 2 million new cancer cases and over 611,000 cancer deaths in 2024 based on the recent data.

The research found that lung, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers are the primary causes of cancer deaths.

A rise in common cancers, including breast, pancreas, prostate, and kidney, is identified in the overall population. Younger individuals have seen a surge in occurrences of colorectal and cervical cancers.

Jacob Stein, assistant professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine's Division of Oncology, observed that while the statistics follow expert predictions, the figures remain substantial.

“The numbers are an alarming demonstration of the impact of cancer on our country”, he said.

Various sources such as the CDC, the National Cancer Institute, and other registries provided the data used in the report. Information on cancer occurrences goes up to 2020, while mortality data covers up to 2021.

Stein points out that the report helps healthcare professionals, policymakers and organizations to strategize for the foreseeable future.

On a positive note, the overall data on cancer deaths has remained steady.

“For the past 30 years, there has been a continued decrease in cancer mortality which is a good sign,” said Rebecca Siegel, the report co-author and the senior scientific director of surveillance research at the American Cancer Society.

"The decline in cancer mortality has led to more than 4 million cancer deaths being prevented since the 90s", she added. Advancements in cancer treatments, early detection and a decline in smoking have all contributed to this progress.

Siegel also noted that although new cancer incidences mirror past years, it is the first time the U.S. has predicted a benchmark of 2 million new potential cancer cases.

“Certain types of cancer including prostate, kidney and some oral cancers, saw a 2-3% growth in diagnosis”, stated Laura Huppert, a member of the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.

From 2015 to 2019, the US also observed a small increase in the number of new cases of breast, pancreatic, and uterine corpus (endometrial) cancer.

Several reasons such as population growth and aging, increase in obesity, improved diagnosis methods among others, are believed to be behind the rise in cancer incidence.

Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death for men under 50 and the second leading cause for women in the same age group, representing a rapid shift from a few decades ago.

Lastly, the ACS report identified major racial disparities in the incidence and mortality of cancer.

“As much as people are now talking about [health disparities] and working on making progress, I think this shows that we still have a long way to go,” said Stein. “There were racial disparities in mortality for basically every single cancer type.”

Another report, published earlier this month in JAMA Open Network, found that Black Americans’ general elevated cancer mortality risk decreased slightly between 2000 and 2020, but significant disparities still existed in outcomes for colorectal, breast, prostate, and lung cancers in particular.

Compared to white Americans, Black Americans tend to be diagnosed with more aggressive cancers, have higher mortality rates, and have less access to quality care, Siegel explained.

“Honestly, there are gaps at every point in the cancer continuum, that’s what contributes to these wide, distinct disparities,” she said. 

According to Stein, the data outlined in the yearly ACS report is oftentimes a jumping-off point for future research.

It may inspire further research into questions raised by the ACS, including how the COVID pandemic may have affected cancer rates, why younger people are getting cancer more frequently, and what tools can effectively close gaps in cancer mortality for Americans of color.

These statistics are also a good reminder to do what they can to avoid cancer. For one, that means adopting lifestyles associated with a lower risk of cancer.

“We estimate that about 40% of all cancers that are diagnosed are potentially preventable through behavioral modifications,” said Siegel. 

That means, whenever possible, people should do their best to maintain a healthy weight, stay active, quit smoking, limit alcohol intake, and eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in red or processed meats, she said.

More importantly, the rise in cancer incidence should prompt people to get screened for different cancers. 

Many of the cancers causing concern in this report—namely cervical, colorectal, and lung cancer—are all screenable, explained Stein. He recommended that people utilize pap smears, colonoscopies, HPV vaccines, computed tomography (CTs), and other available tools so these cancers can be caught early.

For instance: 340 people die from lung cancer daily. To address this issue, the American Cancer Society has broadened its annual lung cancer screening guidelines, but most people still aren’t taking advantage.

“Relatively few patients have been undergoing this screening—they estimate just 6% of eligible patients in 2020,” Huppert said. “It is important for individuals who have a history of smoking and [who] are eligible for this screening to discuss it with their doctors.”

Ultimately, preventative action is key.

“[It’s] just really understanding what your family history is, and then acting on it by talking to your doctor about when it’s right for you to start screening,” Siegel said.