Experts sound alarm over rise of ‘forgotten cancer’ in young people

Experts have sounded the alarm over a stark rise in appendix cancer—warning that the sudden increase in diagnoses in people aged under 50 cannot be explained.

A study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, has shown that the number of appendix cancer cases has increased dramatically among people born after the 1970s.

The incidence has tripled or even quadrupled in younger generations compared with those born in the 1940s.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Professor Justin Stebbing, an oncologist and researcher at Anglia Ruskin University, said: ‘For decades, it was the kind of disease that doctors might encounter only once or twice in a career, and it was almost always found in older adults.

‘But the increase in appendix cancer cases is stark, particularly in young people.

‘It is essentially a form of colon cancer and we are now seeing a lot more people in their 30s and 40s with this aggressive form of cancer

‘However we do not really know why this has happened. The prevailing theory is that diet has a role to play, specifically ultra processed foods, but there is no clear explanation on the mechanism linking this to cancer.

‘I think it is more likely that an increase in obesity is behind the rise, but we do not really know.’

The appendix is a small pouch of tissue connected to the bowel in the lower right side of the abdomen.

The organ forms part of the intestines and helps remove waste from the body. While its exact function is unknown, researchers say it may help support the immune system.

However, the organ can also produce cancerous cells, which start to divide uncontrollably, forming tumours.

These can either grow from cells that line the appendix, or from the chemicals involved in digestion.

Appendix cancer is still rare, and is estimated to be 0.4 per cent of all bowel cancers. That would mean that roughly 176 people are diagnosed with this form of the disease.

The concern among experts is that one in three cases now occurs in adults under 50, a much higher proportion than seen in other types of gastrointestinal cancers

Experts warn that the symptoms are vague and easy to dismiss’.

‘People might experience mild abdominal pain, bloating or changes in bowel habits, which are common complaints for many benign conditions. 

‘As a result, most cases are only discovered after surgery for suspected appendicitis, when it’s often too late for early intervention,’ wrote Dr Stebbing in the Conversation.

‘If someone experiences persistent or unusual abdominal symptoms, especially if they’re under 50, it’s important not to ignore them. Early investigation and prompt treatment can make a significant difference in outcomes.’

If the cancer is caught early, patients have an optimistic 67 to 97 percent likelihood of surviving more than five years after their diagnosis.

But for those whose cancer is not caught until stages three or four, when it has spread to other parts of the body, survival rates are dramatically lower, with studies estimating the figure to be around 50 per cent.

The disease can spread to different parts of the abdomen, leading to severe pain.

The slight upward trend in the disease appears to be faster than that for colon cancer overall.

Among adults aged 20 to 39 years-old, estimates suggest cases have risen by two percent per year on average.

In those aged 30 to 39 years old, cases rose by five percent per year overall.

Yet, over the last 30 years, young diagnoses of colon cancer have shot up by 80 per cent across the globe, research suggests.

There are around 2,600 new bowel cancer cases in people aged 25-49 in the UK every year.

Symptoms of the disease are similar to that of appendiceal cancer but there may also be blood in the stool.

The disease kills almost 17,000 people in the UK each year, with the death toll rising to about 50,000 in America.

Overall, just over half of bowel cancer patients are expected to be alive 10 years after their diagnosis.