“We should be careful about calling every cancer in a younger person a new trend,” says Dr Ankur Nandan Varshney, a senior medical oncologist at Medanta Hospital in Noida. That is a notable thing to hear from a doctor who sees patients in their 30s with cancer.
Varshney told HT Lifestyle that a diagnosis in the 30s or early 40s is no longer something oncologists can write off as unusual. India’s cancer data shows a real burden among younger adults. But he and other experts warn against reading every case as proof of an epidemic among the young.
More cases found, and some are new
Varshney sees a mix of causes: “genuine changes in risk factors, greater awareness and earlier or more frequent detection.” More scans, biopsies and tests are available, people see doctors sooner, and better cancer registration makes the problem look larger than it did before. “Absolutely,” he said, when asked if earlier detection is part of the rise.
That does not mean it is all overdiagnosis. Some cancers do occur in younger adults, he said, and they can be aggressive.
Which cancers, and why
Online talk tends to fixate on colorectal and other young-onset cancers. The Indian picture differs. Varshney said the country’s registry data puts breast, thyroid, mouth and tongue cancers high among younger adults. In the 15 to 39 age group, breast cancer made up 27.3 percent of cancers diagnosed in women in 2022, and mouth cancer accounted for 12 percent of cancers in men. “A cancer that receives considerable online attention is not necessarily the cancer contributing the greatest burden among young Indians,” he said.
There is no single explanation. Excess weight and metabolic problems matter, because obesity is linked to several cancers. Inactivity and poor diet can add to the risk through obesity, insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. Tobacco is another large factor. “Smoking and smokeless tobacco continue to drive cancers of the mouth, tongue, throat and lungs,” he said, and mouth and tongue cancers already rank among the leading cancers in men aged 15 to 39.
Alcohol, environmental and workplace exposures, family history and inherited genetic risk can all play a part. Yet many young patients have none of these. “Having no family history does not mean a young person is protected,” Varshney said. “Most cancers are multifactorial, and sometimes we cannot identify one specific trigger.”
What he tells people in their 30s
His advice is not to panic or to demand tests indiscriminately. Symptoms that persist or look odd should not be waved away because the patient is young. He listed a suspicious lump, unexplained bleeding, a lasting change in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, a prolonged cough and an oral sore that will not heal.
On prevention, he recommends avoiding tobacco, keeping alcohol low or skipping it, holding a healthy weight, exercising, eating a balanced diet and learning your family history. Screening should fit a person’s age and risk, not a viral list of cancers. Someone with a strong family history or a known genetic risk may need earlier or different surveillance.
“It is not about being anxious about cancer; it is about recognising warning signs early and seeking medical advice when something persists,” he said. This is general information, so consult your doctor about any health concern.
