Gen Xers Face Higher Cancer Risks Than Boomers 

Being overweight may increase the risk for several others, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma; mouth, throat and voice box cancer; and aggressive forms of prostate cancer, the American Cancer Society says.

“When you look at this list of obesity-related cancers, you will see a strong overlap” with the cancers that are increasing among Gen Xers, says Urvi A. Shah, M.D., a hematologist-oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

Shah, a specialist in multiple myeloma, says the bone marrow cancer has been thought of as a disease that primarily affects the older population. “That’s still the majority of cases,” she says, “but we are starting to see younger patients in clinic too, which is surprising to us and not really expected.”

2. Sleep, environment and the microbiome. Obesity isn’t the only explanation. Plenty of adults who are diagnosed with cancer are physically active and not overweight, indicating other factors are at play.

Scientists suggest poor sleep and exposure to chemicals and pollutants in the environment may contribute to increasing cancer rates among younger adults. The Lancet authors note “the potential involvement of an altered microbiome, given substantial changes in dietary patterns and antibiotics use in particular over the past few decades.”  

The microbiome, sometimes called the gut, refers to the trillions of bacteria, fungi and other organisms living in the large intestine. Accumulating research finds that this community of bugs plays a critical role in the body’s overall health — so keeping it happy is key.

A high-fiber diet is one way to do that, researchers say. Some studies estimate that as many as 95 percent of Americans don’t get enough fiber in their diet, which is 25 to 30 grams a day from food sources, not supplements.

“The microbiome directly feeds on fibers. So if you don’t feed it enough fiber, you don’t have healthy microbiome,” Shah explains. Adding 1 cup of beans, which has 15 grams of fiber, to your daily diet can help increase your intake, she says. “We should not minimize the effect or the importance of fiber.”

The gut can also be altered by environmental exposures and pollutants, as well as alcohol, tobacco, antibiotics, even stress.  

Lowering your cancer risks

Ahmedin Jemal, a senior vice president at the American Cancer Society and a coauthor of the Lancet study, says the data highlights a “critical need” to both identify and address the factors that fuel the trends in Gen X and millennial populations. 

“Without effective population-level interventions, and as the elevated risk in younger generations is carried over as individuals age, an overall increase in cancer burden could occur in the future, halting or reversing decades of progress against the disease,” he said in a statement.

While research into the causes behind increasing cancer rates continues, doctors and scientists say there are several things individuals in their 40s and 50s can do to help lower their risks.

• Eat more plants. Don’t just increase the amount you eat, increase the variety — aim for about 30 different types of plants each week, Shah says, referring to studies that show a diversified diet has been shown to improve the health of the microbiome. That number may seem daunting, but if you have berries with your breakfast, legumes with your lunch, nuts for a snack and a mix of vegetables with dinner, you’re well on your way. “If you just make a stew with multiple kinds of beans or a curry with many veggies, you’re already getting five or 10 in that one meal,” Shah says. Incorporating fermented foods — yogurt, kimchi and sauerkraut, for example — can also help your gut, Shah adds.
• Cut back on ultraprocessed foods. The majority of the American diet (more than 60 percent) consists of ultraprocessed foods — your packaged snacks, frozen dinners and fast-food favorites. Studies have linked a diet high in these foods, stripped of fiber and other nutrients, with increased risk of some cancers. Processed meats, in particular, are considered carcinogens, or substances that can increase cancer risk, which is why cancer experts recommend restricting them as much as possible.
• Limit alcohol. More research is coming out about the health impacts of alcohol. According to the CDC, drinking alcohol raises your risk for several kinds of cancer, including mouth and throat, esophagus, colon and rectum, liver and breast (in women). Drinking alcohol has long been viewed as a socially acceptable activity, Shete says, “but I think the more data we’re getting, we’re realizing that … alcohol consumption should go down substantially.”
• Stay physically active. Staying active as you age lowers your risk for developing at least eight types of cancer, according to the CDC, including breast, colon and kidney cancer. How so? Exercise can help prevent high levels of insulin and inflammation, which are associated with cancer development, explains the National Cancer Institute. Staying active can also improve the immune system and digestive system, both of which have been linked to lower cancer risks.

Quitting smoking, protecting yourself from the sun and getting vaccines that protect against viral infections known to cause cancer also can help lower risks.