Cancer is often associated with older age, but a diagnosis in the 30s or early 40s is no longer something doctors can simply dismiss as unusual. India’s cancer data does show a significant burden among younger adults. Better detection, greater awareness and access to imaging are also bringing more cases to medical attention.
However, experts caution against interpreting every cancer diagnosis in a younger adult as proof of a broad “cancer epidemic” among the young.
HT Lifestyle spoke to Dr Ankur Nandan Varshney – a senior medical oncologist at Medanta Hospital, Noida – who explains, “We should be careful about calling every cancer in a younger person a new trend. However, when a person in their 30s develops cancer, we have to look beyond age and ask why that individual may be at risk. Alcohol consumption, environmental and occupational exposures, family history and inherited genetic susceptibility can also influence individual risk. However, he cautions against blaming lifestyle alone. Many young patients with cancer have none of these obvious risk factors. “But having no family history does not mean a young person is protected. Most cancers are multifactorial, and sometimes we cannot identify one specific trigger. the Indian picture is more complex While international research has raised concerns about increasing rates of some cancers in younger populations. Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition. He completed his MBBS and MD at the Institute of Medical Sciences, Varanasi, followed by a DM in Medical Oncology from AIIMS, New Delhi. His expertise includes cancer immunotherapy, breast, lung and gastrointestinal cancers, haematological malignancies, stem cell transplantation, and palliative care.
Dr Ankur Nandan Varshney is a consultant medical oncologist with over 10 years of clinical experience at Medanta Hospital.
“Family history is particularly important when cancer appears unusually early or when several close relatives have had cancer,” emphasises Dr Varshney. Online discussions often focus heavily on colorectal cancer and other “young-onset” cancers.
What we are seeing is a combination of genuine changes in risk factors, greater awareness and earlier or more frequent detection.
