10% cancer patients are young adults: government
Most cancers occur in older adults, but official data shows a surprisingly high rate of cancers developing among people aged 20 to 44. In recent years, one out of every 10 Taiwanese cancer patients has been a young adult, according to the latest available data. The most common cancers that occur in this age range are breast cancer, thyroid cancer, and colon cancer. Lung cancer is also on the rise in this age group, a pattern that doctors say could be linked to air pollution.Many young adults go about their day feeling healthy, strong, and invincible against disease. But Health Promotion Administration data shows that cancer does strike Taiwan’s young adults, who account for 10% of patients diagnosed with cancer each year.Lin Li-juHealth officialFirst off, there’s smoking. Then there’s drinking. And then there’s unbalanced and unhealthy diet, as well as insufficient exercise.According to the data, nearly 11,000 patients between the ages of 20 to 44 were diagnosed with cancer in 2016. Between 2013 and 2016, the most common type of cancer among young adults was breast cancer, followed by thyroid cancer and colon cancer.Tu Shih-hsingOncologistIn the Asia region, breast cancer has the distinct characteristics of occurring at a relatively young age, developing faster, and being more aggressive. Some breast cancer cases that occur among young people are hereditary.Physicians warn that lung cancer is emerging as the new “national disease,” with incidence rates rising among young adults. Doctors say the rates are linked to air pollution and other environmental problems. They advise regular screening, which can detect risk factors before cancer develops.
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