Latest news with #appendixcancer
Health Line
6 days ago
- Health
- Health Line
Rare Appendix Cancer Cases Are Rising in Gen Xers, Millennials: What to Know
Appendix cancer cases are rising among young adults, according to new research. Gen Xers and older Millennials face three to four times the risk compared to those born in the 1940s. Appendix cancer is rare, and regular screening is not common, so it's important to discuss any unusual abdominal symptoms with your doctor. Appendix cancer cases are rising sharply among young adults, a new study shows. The findings, published June 10 in Annals of Internal Medicine, found that Gen Xers and Millennials are developing appendix cancer at significantly higher rates than their parents. Experts caution that this type of cancer remains exceedingly rare, affecting about 1 or 2 people per million per year. Still, the uptick mirrors a broader trend in rising early onset cancers in young people, such as colorectal cancer. 'Compared to those born in the 1940s, Gen X and older Millennials are around three times more likely to be diagnosed with appendix cancer overall. That was quite striking to us,' said Andreana N. Holowatyj, PhD, MS, an assistant professor of hematology and oncology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, and first author of the study. 'Seeing these parallel effects across other gastrointestinal cancers really makes us raise an eyebrow as to what are the etiologies that are underpinning these alarming and worrisome trends,' Holowatyj told Healthline. Kiran Turaga, MD, MPH, the chief of surgical oncology at the Yale School of Medicine, said the study validates what he often sees in practice. Turaga was not involved in the study. 'Last week in clinic, I saw 18-year-olds and 20-year-olds with appendix cancer. This is a real phenomenon that we're noticing,' he told Healthline. Little guidance currently exists on appendix cancer screening and prevention. However, the findings from this new research could heighten awareness of this rare form of cancer emerging in young adults. Appendix cancer is 3 to 4 times higher in Millennials, Gen Xers The researchers analyzed appendix cancer rates across generations using the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry. They identified 4,858 cases of appendix cancer in individuals ages 20 and older from 1975 through 2019. When examining incidence over time, an unsettling trend emerged. Rates have risen annually since 1945, with those born between 1975 and 1985 experiencing three to four times the incidence rate of individuals born in the 1940s. This increase does not appear to be solely due to confounding factors such as improved imaging technology. 'This is not just a phenomenon of increased detection,' Turaga said. 'Just looking at the magnitude of these numbers, combined with what we're seeing in our clinics and what we understand about our patients, I do believe that this is a true phenomenon of increasing incidence of appendix cancer, especially in younger adults.' Appendix cancer is rare — accounting for fewer than 1% of gastrointestinal cancers — and has often been lumped in with more common colon and other GI cancers. As a result, comparatively little is known about its biology and epidemiology. In many cases, appendix cancer is diagnosed incidentally after appendicitis surgery, when the removed appendix is sent for biopsy. Historically, appendix tumors were classified as right-sided colon cancers rather than recognized as a distinct biological entity. 'Over the last decade or so, evidence has emerged saying the biology of an appendix tumor and a right-sided colon tumor are different, really predicating the need for additional studies,' Holowatyj said. 'Even right now, because there are no FDA-approved therapies for appendix cancer and due to a lack of evidence, appendix cancers in clinical guidelines are treated like right-sided colon tumors,' she continued. Why are early onset cancer rates increasing? Young adults are at increased risk for a multitude of cancers compared to older generations. A 2024 study, published in Lancet Public Health, found that Millennials had a higher risk of 17 different forms of cancer, including: breast cancer uterine (endometrial) cancer colorectal cancer stomach cancer testicular cancer ovarian cancer Despite the evidence demonstrating these trends, it's unclear what's driving them. 'It's not going to come down to just one factor. It's going to be a constellation of factors, including both lifestyle factors, such as the effects of obesity, physical inactivity, and dietary patterns, together with the environment,' said Holowatyj. Turaga noted some potential environmental culprits, but stressed that there is no clear evidence to suggest a causal link at this time. Some hypotheses include: antibiotics (in both humans and animals) dysregulation of gut flora (dysbiosis) microplastics exposure air pollution ultra-processed foods rising obesity rates 'It's incredibly challenging to pinpoint these factors, so we're not quite there yet, but hopefully with additional evidence we'll be able to understand what factors specifically are increasing risk of this disease so that we can work to create effective strategies to reverse these trends and reduce the overall burden,' said Holowatyj. One added complication specific to appendix cancer noted by Holowatyj and others is the increasing regularity of treating appendicitis with antibiotics rather than surgical removal. This pivot to less invasive treatment of appendicitis could potentially lead to worse outcomes for patients with appendix cancer. 'The challenge becomes that if you ignore someone who has a tumor who has appendicitis and you treat it with antibiotics, that's one big risk factor for these patients actually progressing without being treated,' she said. Appendix cancer prevention There are no standardized approaches to screening for appendix cancer. Even colonoscopies, considered the gold standard for colon cancer screening, can miss them, Yun Song, MD, an assistant professor of surgical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center who wasn't involved in the research, told Healthline. Given this lack of screening, she encourages everyone to be aware of what possible signs and symptoms look like. 'I recommend paying attention to unexpected weight loss or nagging, sometimes subtle, abdominal symptoms (pain, discomfort, bloating) that won't go away, and seeking appropriate medical attention for these issues. In women, appendix cancers may also be confused with gynecologic issues,' she said. According to the National Cancer Institute, common symptoms of appendix cancer may include: abdominal pain feeling bloated or growing abdominal size a mass in the abdomen nausea and vomiting feeling full soon after starting to eat 'Despite an increasing incidence, appendix cancers are still rare, so not every abdominal symptom means you have appendix cancer. With that said, be aware of your family history, as multiple family members with cancer may mean that you are at increased risk for cancer,' Song said.
The Independent
15-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Gen X and millennials three times more likely to be diagnosed with appendix cancer than their parents, study finds
Cases of appendix cancer appear to be rising among Gen X and millennials, according to a new study that found those age groups are three times more likely to face a diagnosis than their parents. The research, published in Annals of Internal Medicine earlier this month, found that the diagnosis of the rare disease is sharply rising among people in those generations. Cancer of the appendix, the small pouch-like organ attached to the large intestine that supports the immune system, affects 1 or 2 people for every million people in the U.S., according to the research. Compared to those born between 1941 to 1949, incidence rates of appendix cancer have more than tripled among people born between 1976 and 1984 and more than quadrupled among people born between 1981 and 1989, according to the new report. 'It's alarming overall,' Dr. Andreana Holowatyj, the lead study author and an assistant professor of hematology and oncology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center told CNN. 'We're seeing some of these generational effects for cancers of the colon, the rectum, the stomach, and so that's one of the reasons why we were curious to explore this in rare appendix cancers. But nonetheless, the rates and trends which we observed were alarming and worrisome,' she said. Researchers conducting the study looked at data from 4,858 people in the U.S. who were 20 or older and had been diagnosed with appendix cancer between 1975 and 2019. The data was separated into five-year age groups and showed rising rates of appendix cancer by group, especially among those born after 1945. The study did not clarify why cases of appendix cancer are on the rise, though researchers said it is 'unlikely' to b down to advances in screening and diagnostic methods. Instead, they speculate it may be tied to environmental exposures, such as obesity. Those exposures may increase the risk for generations now entering mid-adulthood, the researchers wrote, noting similar trends 'have also been reported for colon, rectal, and gastric cancer.' 'The fact that we're seeing these trends parallel across other cancers of the gastrointestinal tract does tell us, or suggest, that there may be both shared and distinct risk factors that can contribute to cancer development across younger generations in the gastrointestinal tract,' Holowatyj said. There is currently no screening recommendations for appendix cancer, but symptoms of the disease are similar to appendicitis and include abdominal or pelvic pain, bloating, nausea and vomiting. Appendix cancer may be treated with surgery, in which the appendix is removed. If the cancer has spread, patients are often given chemotherapy. 'This is a disease where, if not caught before the appendix ruptures, tumor cells disperse throughout the abdominal cavity often,' Holowatyj said. 'That's why up to 1 in every 2 patients are diagnosed with metastatic disease' or cancer that has spread.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Gen X, millennials are about three times more likely than their parents to be diagnosed with appendix cancer, study finds
The pain was so sharp that Chris Williams took himself to the hospital. It was a Tuesday evening in September 2021 when Williams started to feel throbbing abdominal pain and nausea. By the next morning, it had gotten worse. 'I had to go to the ER,' said Williams, who lives in Brooklyn. At the hospital, he was diagnosed with appendicitis and had his appendix surgically removed. About a week later, he met with his medical team to get the staples removed and discuss next steps – and that's when he received shocking news. 'They found a tumor sitting on my appendix, and they biopsied that tumor and determined it was cancer,' said Williams, who was 48 at the time. 'It was actually a blessing,' he said. 'This was really just a godsend, in my eyes, and a blessing for me to detect the tumor – for the tumor to trigger my appendix to almost rupture for them to find it – because later on, they discovered it was stage III. Had it stayed in me for a while longer, it would have been stage IV,' which is the most advanced stage of cancer and more difficult to treat. Williams, who is now cancer-free after finishing treatment in November 2022, is among a growing group of appendix cancer patients in the United States who were diagnosed at a young age. The appendix, which plays a role in supporting the immune system, is a small pouch-like organ that is attached to the large intestine at the lower right side of the abdomen. Although cancer of the appendix is rare – typically, it's estimated to affect about 1 or 2 people for every 1 million in the United States each year – diagnoses are rising sharply among Generation X and millennials, according to a new study. Compared with people born from 1941 through 1949, incidence rates of appendix cancer have more than tripled among people born between 1976 and 1984 and more than quadrupled among people born between 1981 and 1989, according to research published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine. These increases in incidence were found to have occurred from 1975 through 2019. 'It's alarming overall,' said Dr. Andreana Holowatyj, the lead study author and an assistant professor of hematology and oncology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. 'We're seeing some of these generational effects for cancers of the colon, the rectum, the stomach, and so that's one of the reasons why we were curious to explore this in rare appendix cancers. But nonetheless, the rates and trends which we observed were alarming and worrisome,' she said. The researchers on the new study – from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, West Virginia University and the University of Texas Health Science Center – analyzed data on 4,858 people in the United States, 20 or older, who had been diagnosed with appendix cancer between 1975 to 2019. The data came from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program database. The data was separated into five-year age groups and showed rising rates in appendix cancer incidence by birth cohort, particularly among people born after 1945, the researchers wrote in the study. Although the new study did not examine specifically why this incidence is on the rise, the researchers say it's 'unlikely' to be explained by advances in screening for the disease or diagnostic tools. 'There are no standardized screening techniques for appendiceal cancers. Many of them are incidentally found after presentation of something like acute appendicitis,' Holowatyj said. Rather, the trend may be tied to 'environmental exposures that may increase risk for generations now entering mid-adulthood,' the researchers wrote. And similar trends 'have also been reported for colon, rectal, and gastric cancer,' suggesting that possible risk factors may contribute to gastrointestinal cancers as a whole. For instance, obesity has been identified as a risk factor for appendix cancer diagnoses and is recognized as a risk factor for colon cancer, Holowatyj said, adding that identifying what risk factors might be driving these trends in cancer incidence could help reveal ways to prevent disease. 'The fact that we're seeing these trends parallel across other cancers of the gastrointestinal tract does tell us, or suggest, that there may be both shared and distinct risk factors that can contribute to cancer development across younger generations in the gastrointestinal tract,' Holowatyj said. 'That's going to be important to understand – what are those shared factors, or how do those risk factors differ, both in magnitude and absolute risk across these gastrointestinal cancer types – to help us support the development of effective prevention strategies and ultimately aim to reduce this burden or reverse these trends,' she said. There are no specific screening recommendations for appendix cancers, but symptoms of the disease typically include abdominal or pelvic pain, bloating, nausea and vomiting – which often can mimic symptoms of appendicitis. Appendix cancer may be treated with surgery, in which the appendix is removed. If the cancer has spread, patients are often given chemotherapy. 'This is a disease where, if not caught before the appendix ruptures, tumor cells disperse throughout the abdominal cavity often,' Holowatyj said. 'That's why up to 1 in every 2 patients are diagnosed with metastatic disease' or cancer that has spread. The study showing an increase in incidence of appendix cancer among younger adults comes as no surprise to Dr. Andrea Cercek, co-director of the Center for Early Onset Colorectal and GI Cancers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, who treated Williams. 'We've known that early-onset appendix cancer is part of the bigger story of early-onset GI cancers, including colorectal cancer,' said Cercek, who was not involved in the new research. She has seen the trend firsthand among her own patients – but it still remains unclear what specific factors may be driving these increases. 'There are a lot of suspects, including lifestyle changes, dietary changes. People talk about obesity, less activity. But there's nothing that quite fits everyone. And then there are environmental changes,' Cercek said. 'I think it's probably some type of combination, something multifactorial, but we have not yet identified it. There is thankfully now a lot of work, a lot of research going into this.' Despite the rising incidence, Cercek emphasized that appendix cancers remain uncommon. 'It is very rare, even though it's rising,' she said. 'However, it is an important part of this overarching story of the rise in cancer in young adults.' Williams' journey after his cancer diagnosis was not easy, he said, but he remains grateful for his care team. After he was diagnosed, he sought treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, where he underwent additional surgery and received chemotherapy. 'For me, I could look at it in a couple of different ways. I could moan. I could complain. I could say, 'Woe is me.' Or I could be grateful that this was found and that there was a solution in terms of treatment,' Williams said. 'It could have ended up being something that killed me, and because it didn't, I feel like I have everything to be grateful for.' Before his cancer diagnosis, Williams thought he was doing everything right. He was eating a mostly healthy diet and exercising regularly, but as a project manager at the time for the state of New York, he also was experiencing a lot of stress. At age 42, he had his first heart attack, he said. He had a second heart attack a few weeks after his appendix cancer diagnosis. Then a third happened shortly after his surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, he said. And just last year, Williams had a fourth heart attack. Blockages were found in his heart, and he said he was treated with stenting, in which a flexible tube was placed in the arteries to increase blood flow to the heart. 'A lot of what I've experienced has been due to stress,' Williams said. 'My personality has been one where I internalized a lot. Especially among men, we tend to internalize a lot because we feel like we have to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders,' he said. 'But in so doing, as you're internalizing, you're making yourself sick. That internalization leads to stress, and that can lead to heart disease, that can lead to strokes, that can lead to cancer.' Inspired by his own health challenges, Williams has launched the Brooklyn-based nonprofit Heart, Body & Soul to connect communities of color, particularly Black men in underserved communities, with physical and mental health tools as well as increased communication with health care providers to help improve their overall health. 'We also teach them how to advocate for themselves as well because a big part of the challenges that are faced, especially when having conversations with men of color, is the concern of not being seen or heard when they get into a hospital,' Williams said, adding that he emphasizes the importance of listening to your body and having a primary care physician. 'Especially in the age where we see things happening like men and women being diagnosed at earlier ages with various diseases, I really think it's important for us to start prioritizing putting a care team together,' he said. 'We have to take a more holistic approach to how we treat ourselves and how we take care of ourselves.'
Fox News
10-06-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Rare cancer diagnoses surge dramatically among millennials and Gen X
A rare type of cancer is growing among millennials and members of Generation X, new research shows. Diagnoses of appendix cancer have tripled in the U.S. for people born between 1976 and 1984 — and it has quadrupled for those born between 1981 and 1989. The study was published on Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center analyzed data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program to arrive at these findings. "When you take these alarming rates that we are seeing for appendiceal cancer across generations, together with the fact that one in every three patients diagnosed with appendiceal cancer is diagnosed under the age of 50, these point to a timely need for everyone to be aware of the signs and symptoms of appendix cancer," said lead author Andreana Holowatyj, PhD, assistant professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, in a press release from the university. Cancer of the appendix is rare, affecting only about one or two people per million each year in the U.S., according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Even so, doctors emphasize the importance of seeking medical attention if symptoms emerge. "Ruling out the possibility of an appendix cancer diagnosis, or diagnosing it early, is important for this cancer as we continue to learn what factors may be contributing to this worrisome trend," Holowatyj said. Appendiceal cancer forms in the appendix, which is a small organ located in the lower right abdomen. There are two main types: epithelial appendiceal cancer, which involves the cells of the lining of the appendix, and neuroendocrine appendiceal cancer, which results from the growth of neuroendocrine (carcinoid) tumors of the appendix, the NCI states. In early stages of the disease, most people do not notice symptoms. As the cancer progresses, common symptoms include pain, a bloated feeling, a mass in the abdomen, nausea and vomiting, and sudden feelings of fullness while eating, according to the above source. Five-year survival rates for appendix cancer range from 10% to 63%. Common treatments for this type of cancer include surgery to remove the appendix and any other affected organs, as well as chemotherapy to kill any metastasized cancer cells. Based on the study findings, the researchers are calling for increased awareness among both the public and the medical community. "As incidence rates in younger generations are often indicative of future disease burden, these results support the need for histology-specific investigations of appendiceal adenocarcinoma, as well as increased education and awareness of appendiceal adenocarcinomas among healthcare providers and the public," the study stated. There are no standard screening guidelines or risk factors for appendix cancer, which means up to half of diagnoses occur after the disease has already spread, according to the researchers. Five-year survival rates for appendix cancer range from 10% to 63%. For more Health articles, visit The new study received funding from the Appendix Cancer Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (ACPMP) Research Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Hidden signs of terrifying cancer that's rising faster that colon cancer in young people - symptoms are easily missed
Young people should be on high alert for the signs of a deadly cancer that's rising in the under 50s, experts have warned—and it's not bowel cancer. Cases of appendix cancer in US 30-somethings have risen by a shocking 71 per cent over the last two decades, a recent study showed. The research, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, revealed millennials, aged between 29 and 44, are now the age group most likely to develop the cancer, which kills half of those with advanced disease within five years. The experts, from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, suggested the surge may be due to lifestyle factors like increasingly poor diets. But medical professionals and campaigners have previously warned the public to watch out for signs of the disease, which can be easily mistaken for benign digestive issues. Speaking in a TikTok video, Dr Ryan Ince, a GP based in Texas, said bloating and chronic abdominal pain are telltale signs that can help you spot the disease in its earliest stages. However, he warned that most patients are spotted at later stages, when the cancer may have spread to the liver, causing shortness of breath, a flushed face and diarrhoea. The appendix is a small pouch of tissue connected to the bowel in the lower right side of the abdomen. The organ forms part of the intestines and helps remove waste from the body. While its exact function is unknown, researchers say it may help support the immune system. However, the organ can also produce cancerous cells, which start to divide uncontrollably, forming tumours. These can either grow either from cells that line the appendix, or from the chemicals involved in digestion. In many cases, it is only when doctors remove the organ suspecting appendicitis—the swelling and infection in the appendix—that the cancer is diagnosed. If the cancer is caught early, patients have an optimistic 67 to 97 percent likelihood of surviving more than five years after their diagnosis. But for those whose cancer is not caught until stages three or four, when it has spread to other parts of the body, survival rates are dramatically lower, with studies estimating the figure to be around 50 per cent. The disease can spread to different parts of the abdomen, leading to severe pain. Cancer can also cause the appendix to burst, which is a very serious condition that can lead to a number of complications including sepsis, the NHS warns. Rebecca Hind, from Cumbria, was diagnosed with disease in 2019, aged 33, after suffering from severe stomach pain, which she dismissed as food poisoning. What followed was years of painstaking surgeries to remove 13 of her organs, more than eight grueling rounds of chemotherapy and medically-induced menopause at just 35-years-old. Heartbreakingly, the latest round of treatment failed to keep the cancer at bay and doctors have told her the disease is terminal. Whilst it is not entirely clear what is behind the uptick in appendix cancer, researchers described what is known as a 'birth cohort' effect—where a disease becomes more common among successive generations. The idea is that people born after a certain time have had similar exposure to environmental triggers that older generations were not exposed to. Overall, the study—published in the Annals of Internal Medicine—found that millennials born between 1981 and 1996 were up to seven times more likely to be diagnosed with the cancer than those belonging to the so-called Silent Generation, or those aged 43 to 80 years-old. Researchers suggested that risk factors associated with colon cancers—such as obesity, diet, alcohol and smoking—could also play a role in appendiceal cancer. They said: 'Well established risk factors of colon and rectal cancer, including early-life experiences, environmental exposures, anthropometric and lifestyle factors (for example, obesity, diet, alcohol, and tobacco), as well as the interaction between these factors and genetic features may also contribute to appendiceal cancer.' The slight upward trend in the disease appears to be faster than that for colon cancer. Among adults aged 20 to 39 years-old, estimates suggest cases have risen by two percent per year on average. In those aged 30 to 39 years old, cases rose by five percent per year overall. Yet, over the last 30 years, young diagnoses of colon cancer have shot up by 80 per cent across the globe, research suggests. There are around 2,600 new bowel cancer cases in people aged 25-49 in the UK every year. Symptoms of the disease are similar to that of appendiceal cancer but there may also be blood in the stool. The disease kills almost 17,000 people in the UK each year, with the death toll rising to about 50,000 in America. Overall, just over half of bowel cancer patients are expected to be alive 10 years after their diagnosis.
