By Trisha Pasricha, MD, Special to The Washington Post: I know someone who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She’s in her 40s and totally healthy. Why do people like her get cancer?Cancer rates among people younger than 50 - called early-onset cancer - have been on the rise worldwide since 1990. Men and women in their 40s represent the largest portion of those diagnoses.
When my patients ask why people get cancer, I often tell them to think of a tower of blocks. Let’s say it takes 100 blocks for a person to get cancer. Genetics, environment and lifestyle habits can all add blocks to the tower. The factors that determine when and how someone’s tower tips over to cancer are unique, not always known and too often beyond individual control. It’s why some people who smoke never get cancer and others who are in peak physical shape still do.
Maternal obesity and a high birth weight are associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. A rise in sedentary behaviors such as prolonged TV viewing and consuming sugary beverages - all of which are linked to high fasting blood sugar and obesity - have been implicated in early-onset cancers. Younger age at the start of a woman’s first period, older age at first birth and use of birth-control pills all increase the risk of getting breast cancer before menopause.
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