«Sand you are reading this article, it is very likely that you, like me, are a millennial.” It starts like this the article in Conversation by Professor Lydia Begoña Horndler Gilspecializing in immunology and cancer biology at Universidad San Jorge. Difficult, for those who belong to the generation of people born between 1981 and 1995, you may not have noticed it: there are countless cases of cancer among peers. And no, it’s not an impression: it’s a sort of epidemic.
Why do so many Millennials get cancer?
Millennials, explains the expert, are the first generation at greater risk of developing cancer than their parents. Between 1990 and 2019, cases of early cancer among people under 50 increased by 79% worldwide and mortality by 28%. There are explanations for these decidedly alarming data. Perhaps none of them are totally exhaustive but together they create preconditions.
The truth, continues the professor, is that approximately 80% of tumors are “sporadic”, that is, not caused by hereditary mutations, but by external factors that damage DNA over time. These include what we eat and breathe, as well as our level of physical activity, rest, stress and exposure to harmful substances.
The 5 factors that determine the “epidemic” of tumors
In other words, what makes the biggest difference are the lifestyle factors that surround us every day, and not the genetics we inherit. And we know that the lifestyle of our parents and grandparents was very different from ours.
1. Food and cancer: the effect of diet on the body
One of the main factors behind this “new epidemic” is diet. Childhood obesity began to rise dramatically in the 1980s. In 2022, more than 390 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 were overweight, of which 160 million were obese, according to the WHO.
AND obesity is associated with insulin resistance, chronic low-grade inflammation, and hormonal changes which increase the risk of developing colorectal, breast or endometrial cancer.
But the effects of childhood obesity do not disappear with age. According to the Colon Cancer Foundation, a meta-analysis of more than 4.7 million people showed that those who have a high body mass index (BMI) in early childhood have a greater risk of cancer of colorectal cancer in adulthood: 39% more in men and 19% more in women compared to those who had a healthy BMI in childhood.
A diet rich in ultra-processed foods then produces alterations in the intestinal microbiota, reducing bacterial diversity and increasing the percentage of strains that produce pro-inflammatory metabolites. This contributes to gastrointestinal illnesses, which often appear to be endemic among millennials.
2. Alcohol, a Group 1 carcinogen
For years it was thought that a glass of wine could “protect” in some way, but today we know that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption: the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies it as a Group 1 carcinogen, at the same level as tobacco. Do baby boomers drink and drink too? Sure, but in a different way: people born between 1946 and 1964 generally drink more on a daily basis, while millennials tend to drink less frequently but engage in more binge drinking. This carries significant risks.
What is a beer every now and then? A recent study by Environmental Science & Technology found that many beers contain perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), linked to higher rates of testicular and kidney cancer.
3. We sleep less and worse than previous generations
Recent surveys show that Millennials and Generation Z are sleeping on average 30-45 minutes less per night than Baby Boomers, largely due to nighttime exposure to screens and social media. The artificial light of the devices interrupts the release of melatonin, an antioxidant hormone that regulates the cell cycle.
Not only chronic lack of sleep impairs DNA repair, but it also reduces the protective effects of melatonin against cancer. Reduced levels of this hormone have been linked to a reduced ability to counteract oxidative damage to DNA. Furthermore, with altered circadian rhythms, mutations accumulate over time, increasing the risk of tumor processes.
4. The burden of stress on the tumor
Millennials are probably the generation with the higher cortisol levels. When this “stress hormone” remains elevated for a long time, it not only promotes insulin resistance and hypertension, but also weakens the immune system.
Research reveals that chronic stress increases inflammationprevents the body’s defenses from eliminating abnormal cells and can even “awaken” dormant tumor cells. In fact, general population studies have found that people with higher stress levels are up to twice as likely to die from cancer as those who manage stress better.
5. The risks of self-medication, from paracetamol to antibiotics
Finally, too younger generations resort to self-medication more than previous ones. This brings new short- and long-term risks.
Frequent use of paracetamol it is linked to increased liver damage and a possible increase in liver cancer. THE contraceptives oral, used for very long periods due to delayed motherhood, slightly increase the risk of breast and cervical cancer, although they protect against ovarian and endometrial cancer.
Furthermore, prolonged use of antacids and antibiotics has been linked to an increased risk of digestive cancer through indirect mechanisms such as carcinogenic compounds or intestinal dysbiosis (an imbalance of the gut microbiota).
Cancer cases on the rise, we can change our lifestyle today
Clearly nothing should be demonized, but the mood and projections are worrying. It is predicted that cancer cases could increase from around 20 million in 2022 to nearly 35 million in 2050, an overall increase of nearly 77%. The trend is particularly marked in digestive and gynecological cancers, which are increasingly common among young adults.
«We are the generation of immediacy, anxiety and ready-to-use pills»admits the teacher. «But all is not lostwe can take control of many of the factors that make us ill, starting today.”