What accounts for increased cancer risk among adults younger than fifty? Elizabeth Tracey reports

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Some types of cancer seem to be increasing in incidence among adults younger than age fifty, with a new large analysis seeming to associate this risk with a host of factors. Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson at Johns Hopkins explains.

Nelson: If you look at all the things they say these are the places to look: alcohol use which has been recognized somewhat, antibiotic use, which has been on the rise for a while now, obviously affects the microbiome the bacteria that reside on your body, height, people have gotten taller, heights really an indicator of growth factor exposure which can promote some cancer growth, obesity, low physical activity, less sleep, of course sleep hygiene, increased distribution of the canonical Western diet, throughout the globe they’re in the same situation.  :30

Nelson is unsurprised that increased risk is most likely multifactorial, noting that that’s generally true for an individual’s risk of cancer also. He says approaches for intervention must take many factors into account as well. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.