More people aged below 50 are being hit by cancer

Breast cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer in under-50s over the three decades, and also among the top killers. — AFP

The number of people aged under 50 diagnosed with cancer has surged worldwide in the last three decades, but it is not fully clear why, according to recent research.

Cases of cancer among people aged 14 to 49 rose by nearly 80%, from 1.82 million to 3.26 million, between 1990 to 2019, according to the study published Sept 6 (2023) in the journal BMJ Oncology.