Increased Commonness of Cancer at a Young Age

Cancer or what is also known as a malignant tumor, is a disease that has an abnormal and uncontrolled growth, which invades the surrounding normal tissue and can spread to other parts of the body further away through the bloodstream or lymphatic tissue. Cancer can cause a variety of symptoms, depending on the area affected. For example, if a person has lung cancer, the symptoms of the disease can include respiratory problems such as shortness of breath. Meanwhile, if a person is suffering from intestinal disease, the symptoms of the disease can be in the form of prolonged indigestion. In the past few decades, cancer is a disease that usually occurs in relatively older adults, namely at the age of over 40 years. However, statistics in the last few years show that there is a significant change in this fact, where the incidence of cancer is becoming more common at a young age (age 20 years). In fact, quite a lot of cancer incidence in adolescents and children. Why is there an increase in the incidence of cancer at a young age? Here are some of the risk factors that can cause cancer at a young age:
 
Cancer at a young age can occur due to genetic factors. The presence of genetic factors in cases of young cancer causes a tendency for cancer to occur in the blood relatives of the cancer sufferer. The risk of cancer can be seen in the family history of blood / blood, starting from biological parents, siblings, grandparents, biological uncles and aunts, and others. There are mutations in the genes of the cancer patient in genetic factors, namely in the form of proto-oncogenes mutations, tumor suppressor genes and mismatch repair genes. This genetic factor is a risk factor that we cannot avoid where if someone has a tendency to develop cancer because of a family history, it is absolutely in him. So that what can be done to prevent or reduce the possibility of cancer is to change other risk factors such as adopting a healthy lifestyle.
 
Cancer at a young age can occur due to lifestyle factors. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, overweight / obesity and lack of physical activity are risk factors for cancer that can be avoided. This means that the presence of these factors can affect the incidence of cancer in a person. For example, someone without genetic risk factors for cancer who smokes is more likely to develop lung cancer than someone without genetic risk factors for cancer who does not smoke. Lifestyle factors usually have a lesser effect on cancer incidence at young age compared with older age. This is because people at a young age are exposed to these risk factors in a period that tends to be less long than those with older age.
 
Cancer at a young age can be caused by a trigger infection. Cancer at a young age can be preceded by a previous infectious disease such as HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) infection. Free sexual lifestyle and sexual intercourse at an early age can cause a person to contract the HPV virus infection. Chronic HPV infection is one of the main causes of cervical cancer (cervix).
 
Cancer at a young age can be caused by congenital disease (congenital). Cancer at a young age can be caused by conditions that are present at birth such as testicular germ cell tumors. Testicular germ cell tumors can be caused by abnormal migration of germ cells that occur during the embryogenesis period, so this condition can appear soon after the baby is born or at a very early age.
The incidence of cancer is rarely found at the age of less than 15 years. Usually the type of cancer in children is different when compared to that occurring in adulthood. Cancer in childhood is generally the result of mutations in DNA in cells that occur early in life, even during pregnancy. While cancer in young adults is usually a mixed type of cancer in children, adolescents and older ages.
 
Some types of cancer that appear at a young age are as follows:
 
Breast cancer
Breast cancer previously affects older women and rarely occurs in women younger than 30 years. But recent statistics show an increasing incidence in young women.
The most common symptoms that can arise in breast cancer are a lump (usually hard and painless), thickening of the breast skin, changes in the nipple and discharge (usually pus or blood) from the nipple. If these symptoms appear in a young woman, it is likely that a benign breast tumor is present. However, investigations are still needed to determine whether the breast cancer is malignant.
 
Lymphoma (Hodgkin dan Non-Hodgkin)
Lymphoma starts from lymphocytes, which are cells found in the immune system. Lymphoma will usually affect lymph nodes and lymphatic tissue, such as the tonsils, thymus, spinal cord and others. The symptoms that arise can include drastic weight loss in a short time and without an obvious cause. In addition, the symptoms are fever, sweating, fatigue and the presence of lumps in the lymph nodes which usually appear on the neck, armpits, and groin.
Lymphoma has two types:
a.Hodgkin Lymphoma
Generally occurs in adolescents and young adults (ages 15 to 40 years) and older adults (over 55 years of age).
b. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
It rarely occurs in young adults but if it occurs in young adults it usually tends to be more progressive, requires more intensive therapy but has a better prognosis.
 
Melanoma
Melanoma usually occurs in more mature adults but this type of cancer is most common at less than 30 years of age. If melanoma occurs at a younger age, there is usually a family history of melanoma. Symptoms can include patches on the skin that can change color, shape and size.
 
Sarcoma
Sarcoma is cancer that arises from connective tissue such as muscle, bone and fat cells. There are two types of sarcoma, namely soft tissue sarcoma and bone sarcoma. Sarcoma can occur at various ages but most commonly appear in children and adolescents.
Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer usually appears in women over 50 years of age and is very rare in women younger than 20 years. Cervical cancer can be detected early and can even be prevented with the HPV vaccine. Symptoms that can be caused are abnormal bleeding in the vagina, abdominal pain and urinary disorders.
 
Blood Cancer/ Leukemia
Leukemia is cancer that occurs in the blood cells and spinal cord. Leukemia is a common cancer in children. If leukemia occurs at a young age it usually develops faster. Symptoms that can be caused include muscle and joint pain, fatigue, weakness, pale skin, bleeding, bruising, fever and weight loss.
 
The facts above show that the incidence of cancer is no longer monopolized by the elderly. Even very young children have a chance of getting cancer. Therefore, what can we do to prevent the age of cancer sufferers from getting younger for future generations? As previously explained, the biggest risk factor for cancer at a young age is genetic factors, so the first thing to do is to cut the genetic chain. For example, if our parents or grandparents have a history of lung cancer, this will more or less make us have congenital risk factors for lung cancer. To prevent this, we can do several preventive things such as not smoking or consuming tobacco. If prevention efforts can be consistently carried out, we can hope that there will be a reduction in the risk of lung cancer for us and our descendants in the future. In other words, if we are able to minimize the risk of developing cancer in ourselves, then we will also help minimize the risk of developing cancer in future generations.