Revealed: the little-known cancer increasing by 85% in young people… and an alarming reason why

Gallbladder cancer is the latest form of the disease discovered to be more common in people under the age of 50 – joining bowel, breast and lung cancer.

Data from the charity Cancer Research UK (CRUK) shows that the number of cases of gastrointestinal cancer among Britons aged 24 to 49 has risen by 84 percent since the early 1990s.

While there has been a significant increase in cases of the disease among Britons of all ages, younger adults have seen the biggest increase of any age group.

Leading oncologists told MailOnline while the reason for the ‘frightening’ increase is uncertain, they suspect the modern diet could be to blame.

Specifically, experts believe the answer may lie in subtle changes in the trillions of bacteria in our gut – the microbiome – as a result of diets rich in ultra-processed foods.

The risk of cancer is well known and generally increases with age, with most cases of the disease occurring after the age of 50.

But experts have noted a worrying rise in the number of early-onset cancers, medically defined as the incidence of the disease among those under the age of 50.

Data from the charity Cancer Research UK shows that the number of cases of gallbladder cancer in Britons aged 24 to 49 has risen by 84 percent since the early 1990s. Depiction of the human digestive system of which the gallbladder is a part

The gallbladder is an apple-sized organ located near the liver and is primarily responsible for storing bile, a substance used by the body to break down the fats we eat.

Gallbladder cancer is relatively rare; in Britain, just over 1,000 cases are diagnosed each year, which equates to around three per day.

But it is a phenomenon that is on the rise, especially among young people. CRUK data shows that almost twice as many young adults are developing the disease than in the 1990s.

However, the actual number of cases remains small, with an average of only around 35 new cases among 25 to 49-year-olds per year, compared to hundreds among older Britons, who are still the most commonly diagnosed patients.

Professor Karol Sikora, a world-renowned oncologist with more than 40 years of experience, said the increase had been evident for years.

He said the trend started in the 1990s, with the number of cases “getting higher and higher” while the age of patients was “getting lower and lower”.

Professor Sikora, former head of the World Health Organisation’s cancer programme, said he suspected the cause was most likely due to changes in modern lifestyles.

Specifically, a combination of pollution, alcohol, junk food and increasingly stressful lives is having a knock-on effect on the microbiome, which in turn can influence our cancer risk.

However, it is difficult to pinpoint one or a combination of factors responsible for the rising rates of cancer at young ages.

“It’s just impossible to measure… it’s a complex set of things that can affect it,” Professor Sikora said.

But he added that it made sense to see how these changes could have a cascading effect on the organs involved in the digestive process, from the gallbladder to the colon, where there has also been an increase in early-stage cancers observed.

Professor Sikora also said it was interesting that despite what has been called ‘generation-conscious’, who on average drink less alcohol and eat healthier than their parents, they appear to be at increasing risk of cancer in the digestive system.

The oncologist said frustratingly, very little advice can be given to young people on how to reduce their risk.

However, he recommended eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and exercising regularly to avoid obesity.

Katrina Brown, senior cancer intelligence manager at CRUK, added: ‘Globally and in the UK we are seeing a rise in the number of cases of early cancer diagnosed in people aged 25 to 49.

‘Although the increase may seem large for some types of cancer, it is important to remember that the actual change in the number of cases is relatively small.

‘Cancer is still uncommon in this age group, and 90 percent of cancer cases in Britain are in people aged 50 and over.

Symptoms of gallbladder cancer include jaundice, the skin and eyes turning yellow, itchy skin and changes in the color of urine and feces.

‘However, this does not change how difficult it is for anyone diagnosed with cancer.

Ms Brown agreed it was not clear what was causing the increase, but factors such as obesity, genetics and better screening could be to blame, and more research was needed.

Symptoms of gallbladder cancer include jaundice – the skin and eyes turning yellow – itchy skin and changes in the color of urine and stool.

Only about one-sixth of gallbladder cancer patients are expected to be alive ten years after their diagnosis.

The rise of cancer among young people and the fact that scientists have so far failed to identify the cause is worrying some experts.

Oncologist Dr Shivan Sivakumar, from the University of Birmingham, described the situation as an ‘epidemic’ earlier this year.