An alarming increase in the global incidence of early-onset cancers (<50 years) of various organs has been reported since 1990, with survivors prone to risks of infertility, cardiovascular disease, and secondary cancers, to name a few. Harvard researchers reviewed evidence about the factors potentially contributing to this “epidemic.” Early-life exposure to risk factors such as prenatal food restriction, maternal obesity, and birthweight need consideration.
In young adulthood, an alteration in diet and subsequently the gut microbiota, changes in lifestyle as well as the environment are identified as prominent risk factors. A “birth cohort effect” suggests that younger populations (children, adolescents, young adults) have higher age-specific risks of developing cancer as well as other chronic diseases, as compared to current populations above 50 years possibly due to exposure to risk…
