April 28, 2026

expert reaction to study looking at changes in rates of cancer in young people in England from 2001-2019

A study published in BMJ Oncology looks at changes in cancer rates in young people in England. 

Prof Paul Pharoah, Professor of Cancer Epidemiology, Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University, said:

“A rise in the incidence rates of some cancers in young adults has been reported many times in recent years.  Many scientists have speculated about possible causes.  The study reported in this paper evaluated potential lifestyle factors that might explain the trends in different cancers by comparing the prevalence over time of risk factors as reported in national surveys with the incidence of cancer.  They noted that most cancers that are rising in incidence in young adults are also rising in incidence in older adults.  They also found that established risk factors are unlikely to account for the rising trends.

“The study design used here is known as an ecological study, which is prone to confounding and is generally considered to be a design for hypothesis generating rather than hypothesis testing. 

“It is likely that different factors explain the trends for different cancers and, as noted by the authors, carefully-conducted, large-scale studies in individuals will be needed to identify the specific causes for different cancers.”

‘Temporal trends in behavioural risk factors for cancers with rising incidence in younger adults: an analysis of population- based data in England’ by Montserrat Garcia- Closas et al. was published in BMJ Oncology at 23:30 UK time on Tuesday 28 April 2026. 

DOI: 10.1136/bmjonc-2025-000966

Declared interests

Prof Paul Pharoah: “I have no conflicts of interest to declare.”

This Roundup was accompanied by an SMC Briefing.