In the latest Chinese cancer statistics, lung cancer incidence and mortality rates were first among men and second and first among women, respectively. Lung cancer has the highest incidence and mortality rates in the 60-74 age group, regardless of gender. 2015 US cancer data also show that lung cancer has the highest incidence and mortality rates in the 60-79 age group, regardless of gender.
So the data show that the highest incidence of lung cancer continues to be in people over 60 years of age.
So why do we feel that lung cancer is getting “younger”? There are several possible reasons for this:
Relativity
2500 years ago, Atossa, a 36-year-old Persian queen, found a bleeding lump on her breast, which was removed by a slave. 2000 years ago, an unnamed woman of about 35 had a hard, globular mass on her left upper arm, and a preserved mummy confirmed the existence of osteosarcoma.
They were both in the “young” category in today’s terms. The 2015 edition of the World Health Organization’s World Health Statistics reports that the global average life expectancy is 71 years, with 73 years for women and 68 years for men. But back to 2000 years ago, the average human life expectancy was no more than 30 years. As you can see, the definition of “young” is relative to the times. The ancient poetic description of “life is seventy years old” is the average life expectancy today. Technology has given us many changes, and life expectancy is no exception.
Concern
We have gone from knowing nothing about cancer to talking about it. As scientific knowledge has become more widespread, there has been an increased focus on cancer. Reports of young tumor patients are often more likely to hit a nerve, raise awareness about medical checkups, and strengthen people’s resolve to quit smoking and control tobacco.
Overall increase in lung cancer incidence
In recent years, the number of lung cancer patients has been increasing due to urban development, air pollution, smoking, passive smoking and other high-risk factors. With increased awareness of medical checkups and advances in detection technology, the number of young people detecting lung cancer has indeed increased year by year.
Co-reviewed by Dr. Zhiyong Chen, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute
Co-authors: Dr. Ma Yue, Department of Oncology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University