Prostate cancer diagnoses among men under 50 have more than trebled in England in just over two decades, alarming new figures reveal.
asserted
figures → treble → decades
Cancer diagnosed before the age of 50 is known as 'early-onset'.
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Cancer → diagnose → onset
Until now, much of the concern over rising cancer rates in younger adults has focused on bowel cancer.
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much → rise → cancer
But the new analysis of NHS England data found prostate cancer has seen a far steeper rise.
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cancer → find → rise
By 2023, that had risen to 3.6.
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that → rise → 3.6
That amounts to a 305 per cent increase over 22 years – more than double the rise seen in bowel cancer over the same period.
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That → amount → period
Professor Roger Kirby, a retired prostate surgeon and co-founder of Prostate Cancer UK, who was not involved in the research, told the Daily Mail that greater awareness and increased testing were likely to explain some of the rise.
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awareness → involve → rise
But he warned that soaring obesity rates and diets increasingly high in processed meat could also be playing a role.
uncertain
rates → warn → role
Prostate cancer diagnoses among men under 50 have more than trebled in England over the last two decades, concerning analysis has revealed
'We think processed meat is important,' Prof Kirby said.
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Kirby → treble → decades
'This includes bacon, sausages, burgers – all that sort of fast food stuff.'
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This → include → stuff
He pointed in particular to nitrates and nitrites used in some processed meats, which have been linked to an increased risk of bowel cancer.
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which → point → cancer
Prof Kirby said the wider shift towards unhealthy diets, obesity and inactivity could also be contributing to rising cancer rates.
uncertain
shift → say → rates
However, experts cautioned that the rise in diagnoses does not necessarily mean younger men are actually becoming more likely to develop prostate cancer.
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men → caution → cancer
Professor Prabhakar Rajan, Professor of Urology and Robotic Surgery at Queen Mary University of London, said greater awareness, more testing and changes in the way the disease is diagnosed could all be contributing to the increase.
'The analysis identifies important trends but cannot establish their causes,' he said.
uncertain
he → say → causes
The World Cancer Research Fund analysis also found striking increases in several other cancers among people under 50.
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analysis → find → 50
Bowel cancer cases rose from 1,289 in 2001 to 2,989 in 2023, with the rate climbing from 3.9 to 8.4 cases per 100,000 people.
Kidney cancer more than doubled, from 510 to 1,065 cases a year, while womb cancer rose from 335 to 698.
Liver cancer increased from 160 cases to 278 and pancreatic cancer from 255 to 346.
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cancer → rise → 346
Breast cancer remained by far the most commonly diagnosed of the cancers analysed, with cases rising from 6,886 to 8,507 – an increase of around 24 per cent.
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cases → remain → cent
Dr Giota Mitrou, the WCRF's executive director of research and policy, said: 'These figures should make us pause and think because this current trajectory is concerning.
'
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trajectory → say → research
Behind every figure is a person facing cancer earlier than they, their family and often their doctor would expect.
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they → face → cancer
'These findings show that the early-onset cancer picture in England is far wider and more complex, involving several cancers rather than bowel cancer alone.
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picture → show → cancer
The prostate findings come amid an increasingly fierce debate over whether Britain should routinely screen men for the disease.
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Britain → come → disease
The UK National Screening Committee recently recommended screening only around 1,500 men aged 45 to 61 who carry a particular genetic mutation and have a family history of an associated cancer.
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who → recommend → cancer
Campaigners have since urged the Government to reverse what they called the 'wrong' decision.
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they → urge → what
Signatories to a letter to Health Secretary Yvette Cooper included Jeremy Clarkson, Sir Stephen Fry and David Cameron – all of whom have had prostate cancer – as well as Rishi Sunak, an ambassador for Prostate Cancer Research.
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all → include → Research
The Daily Mail is also campaigning to end needless prostate cancer deaths and for a national screening programme, initially targeting men at highest risk, including black men and those with a family history of the disease or specific genetic mutations.
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Mail → campaign → disease
Prof Kirby urged men who are concerned about their risk to speak to their doctor about a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test.
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who → urge → test
'We know that having awareness and knowing your own numbers and keeping an eye on them can help,' he said.
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he → know → them
'Plus, looking after your cholesterol, keeping your weight down, having a healthy lifestyle and doing 10,000 steps a day can all help.'
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looking → look → steps
Natalia Norori, head of data and evidence at Prostate Cancer UK, said the rise in diagnoses partly reflected more men having PSA tests.
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men → say → tests
'However, prostate cancer is now the most common cancer in the UK,' she said.
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she → say → UK
'And the number of men diagnosed with the disease is projected to rise, with more than one million expected to be living with a prostate cancer diagnosis by the end of the 2030s.
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million → diagnose → 2030s
'Addressing this rise must be a priority for the Government.'
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Addressing → address → Government
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