Actress Shannen Doherty, 53, Among Gen Xers Experiencing Cancer at Higher Rates Compared to Baby Boomers and Silent Generation. Researchers Blame Obesity and Sedentary Lifestyles

Cancer Trends Find Younger Generations Experiencing Cancer Diagnoses at Higher Rates

• A new study published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open finds that Generation X (people born between 1965 and 1980) is seeing higher cancer incidence cases than people born between 1908 and 1964.
• Researchers attribute increased cancer rates among Gen Xers to increased obesity rates and sedentary lifestyles.
• SurvivorNet experts recommend regular exercise, a balanced diet, and stress management for cancer survivors to lead healthy lives. They may also recommend regular checks for recurrence.
• According to the National Cancer Institute, there is a clear link between consuming alcohol, especially drinking it regularly over time and an increased risk of several cancers. Those cancers include head and neck, esophageal, liver, breast and colorectal.
• One benefit of maintaining optimal health for those with cancer is they are more likely to endure treatment better and experience fewer side effects, MD Anderson’s Dr. Sairah Ahmed told SurvivorNet.

“90210” actress Shannen Doherty, 53, is among a cohort of Gen Xers coping with a cancer diagnosis. New research published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open says people born between 1965 and 1980, known as Gen X, may be experiencing more cancer cases than the Baby Boom (people born between 1946 and 1964) and the Silent Generation (people born between 1928 and 1945).

“Generation X is experiencing larger per-capita increases in the incidence of leading cancers combined than any prior generation born from 1908 through 1964,” researchers concluded in their published report. Among famous Gen Xers coping with a cancer diagnosis include TV host Maria Menounos, 46, who was diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer. Actor and producer Ben Stiller, 53, also falls into this cohort as he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. In the published study, researchers examined data on 3.8 million patients with cancer using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program. Housed under the National Cancer Institute, this program harbors information on cancer incidence and survival rates within the U.S.

Researchers attribute the increased cancer rate among Gen Xers to increased obesity rates and sedentary lifestyles. Researchers point out improved efforts to reduce tobacco consumption and an increase in cancer screenings affecting Gen Xers compared to Baby Boomers. However, researchers say “other suspected carcinogenic exposures are increasing” could be more influential in the uptick in cancer cases.

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What Cancer Types Are Impacting Gen Xers More?

According to researchers, Gen Xers experienced leukemia and thyroid, kidney, rectal, and colon cancers at higher rates compared to people born before them. Among cancer cases specific to women, they also saw higher rates of uterine and non-Hodgkin lymphoma compared to the Baby Boom and Silent Generation. Among cancer cases specific to men, they also saw higher rates of prostate cancer compared to people born before them. Not all of the data was less than ideal, as Gen Xers experienced fewer lung and cervical cancer rates among women compared to women born generations before them. Among men in the study, they saw fewer lung, liver, gallbladder cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases. While researchers did not evaluate cancer incidence among Millennials – people born between 1981 and 1996 – they caution if the trend continues, cancer rates could “remain unacceptably high for decades to come.”

Helping You Live a Healthier Lifestyle to Reduce Cancer Risk

The general recommendations for a healthy lifestyle are similar whether you have cancer or not. Dr. Ken Miller , the Director of Outpatient Oncology at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center, shared some guidelines for cancer survivors who are concerned about a recurrence with SurvivorNet:

• Exercise at least two hours a week, and walking counts.
• Eat a low-fat diet.
• Eat a colorful diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. The American Cancer Society recommends aiming for two to three cups of vibrant vegetables and fruits each day.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Studies have shown that being obese can increase your risk for several types of cancer.

“The more physically fit you are going through your cancer treatment, the fewer side effects you’ll have and the faster you’ll get back to your normal quality of life,” Dr. Sairah Ahmed told SurvivorNet. Dr. Ahmed is an associate professor in the Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma, Division of Cancer Medicine, at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Smoking and Alcohol’s Cancer Risk Factors

Research published in the Cancer Journal for Clinicians suggests that although the number of cancer cases is expected to rise, by eliminating tobacco use, millions could significantly reduce their cancer risks. According to researchers, the number of annual cancer diagnoses will jump from roughly 20 million today to 35 million by 2050. The figure puts added pressure on cancer awareness advocates and healthcare practitioners because some of these cancer cases are preventable, according to experts. “[Eliminating] tobacco use alone could prevent 1 in 4 cancer deaths or approximately 2.6 million cancer deaths annually,” said Dr. Ahmedin Jemal , senior vice president of surveillance & health equity science at the American Cancer Society and senior author of the study. Tobacco, more specifically smoking cigarettes, is a significant risk factor for lung cancer, which is “the most commonly diagnosed cancer and leading cause of cancer death overall and in men worldwide,” the American Cancer Society says. WATCH: Does smoking marijuana pose health risks? According to the National Cancer Institute, there is a clear link between consuming alcohol, especially drinking it regularly over time and an increased risk of several cancers. Those cancers include head and neck, esophageal, liver, breast and colorectal. A study published in JAMA Network Open about two years ago found that people with “heavy drinking levels had an associated higher risk” of developing alcohol-related cancers “than those who did not drink.” The study included 4.5 million participants who self-reported their drinking habits. The results concluded people who reduced their alcohol consumption lowered their risk. Conversely, “Those with moderate or heavy drinking levels who quit drinking had a higher all cancer incidence than those who sustained their levels, but when quitting was sustained, this increase in risk disappeared.”