Cancer remains one of the most dangerous and severe diseases, as it is one of the leading causes of death across the world. New research reveals grim information as cancer rates among young people are on the rise.
While cancer is already a difficult disease to treat, patients who are teenagers and young adults face additional issues in the form of potential mental problems. They wonder how they will be able to resume thei lives in a normal, and problems like depression may surface.
Grim numbers
A new study conducted by a team of American researchers argues that 90,000 cases and more than 9,000 deaths related to cancer among adolescents and young people will be recorded in 2020. Cancer rates among these age groups are also on the rise in comparison to data recorded a few years ago.
There is a major spike in the number of thyroid cancers as the number of cases has grown by 3% per year among patients between the age of 15 to 19 years and 20 to 39 years. A similar increase was also observed in the case of cancers tied to obesity.
Higher risks
Patients who are diagnosed with a form of cancer when they are young face a higher risk of death and recurrence. They can also face a higher number of long-term consequences, among which we can count heart disease, infertility, or the appearance of other cancer types.
It is also important to mention that the rate of thyroid cancer is up to five times higher among women in comparison to men. Survival rates are also lower in the case of some cancer types while the costs of treatments can be quite high, especially in the case of families with a low income or with a single parent.
The study has been published in a scientific journal.