Per capita, Gen X (born from 1965 through 1980) is getting cancer more often than their parents’ and grandparents’ generations, researchers report in the June 10 issue of JAMA Network Open. This alarming trend could spell trouble for younger generations, including millennials (born from 1981 to 1996) and Generation Z (born from 1997 to 2012), who may also face increased cancer risks.
Philip Rosenberg, a biostatistician at the U.S. National Cancer Institute in Rockville, Maryland, alongside his colleague Adalberto Miranda-Filho, analyzed data from 3.8 million people diagnosed with invasive cancer. The researchers compared generational differences in cancer diagnoses across multiple sites in the body and projected Gen X’s cancer rate at age 60.
The findings were troubling. Compared to baby boomers, Gen X women showed projected increases in thyroid, kidney, rectal, uterine, colon, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers, as well as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and leukemia. Gen X men had projected increases in thyroid, kidney, rectal, colon, and prostate cancers.
There were some positive notes in the data. Gen X women showed decreases in lung and cervical cancers compared to baby boomers. Similarly, Gen X men had reduced rates of lung, liver, and gallbladder cancers, as well as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. However, these decreases were overshadowed by the overall rise in cancer diagnoses.
Rosenberg, who identifies as a boomer, initially sought to determine whether his generation was better off health-wise than previous generations and whether younger generations, including his millennial and Gen Z children, might fare better. Unfortunately, the data revealed that Gen X is facing higher cancer rates, a trend that could continue into younger generations.
The study highlights that Hispanic women experienced one of the most significant increases, with a 35 percent rise in cancer diagnoses from the Silent and boomer generations to Gen X. Non-Hispanic Black men in Gen X had the highest combined cancer rate, with a 12 percent increase compared to previous generations.
Many of the cancers on the rise among Gen Xers are linked to lifestyle factors such as obesity, lack of exercise, and high consumption of red meat. Changing these behaviors is challenging. “The healthy choices are not the easy choices to make in our society,” says Corinne Joshu, a cancer epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Joshu and Ahmedin Jemal, a cancer epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society, point out that policy changes have successfully reduced lung cancer rates through smoking bans and taxes. Similarly, public health measures, such as HPV vaccines, have reduced cervical cancer rates. However, promoting healthier lifestyles requires a more significant societal effort.
Rosenberg and Miranda-Filho emphasize the need for further research to uncover the factors driving these increases and to develop strategies to reverse the trend. The uptick in cancer among Gen X serves as a “yellow flag,” indicating potential health crises for future generations unless substantial changes are made.
The rising cancer rates among Gen X highlight the urgent need for comprehensive public health strategies to promote healthier lifestyles. Addressing these issues will require coordinated efforts from policymakers, healthcare providers, and communities to make healthier choices more accessible and affordable.
