BENGALURU: Oncologists are warning of a troubling shift in cancer trends, with younger women increasingly being diagnosed with cancers, raising concerns about delayed detection and aggressive disease patterns.
On the occasion of World Cancer Day on February 4, oncologists urged women to seek early medical evaluation. “Believing ‘I’m too young for cancer’ is often what costs patients the most time,” doctors cautioned.
Dr Ashwin KR, HOD of the Department of Surgical Oncology, Aster Whitefield Hospital & Consultant, said, “We are seeing cancers presenting at a much younger age than before,” noting that hospitals are now reporting early-onset breast cancer and sporadic endometrial cancer in women in their 30s and 40s.
“Many women often do not suspect cancer because of their age. Subtle symptoms such as abnormal bleeding, nipple discharge or minor lumps, unexplained weight loss, chronic fatigue, are dismissed as hormonal issues or lifestyle stress,” he said.
“The assumption that cancer happens only after 50 is no longer valid,” said Dr Niti Raizada, principal director of Medical Oncology & Hemato-Oncology, Fortis Hospitals. He also pointed out that there is a visible rise in early-stage thyroid and kidney cancers among youths, especially in urban centres.
Lifestyle-related factors, including obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, chronic stress, irregular sleep, tobacco use and delayed childbirth, are emerging as major drivers. Hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast and endometrial cancer are particularly influenced by prolonged estrogen exposure linked to body fat, fertility treatments and late pregnancies.
“Younger women are also more likely to develop biologically aggressive forms of certain cancers,” said Dr Ashwin, explaining that specific subtypes of breast cancer require intensive treatment, with implications for fertility and long-term health.
“Cancer does not wait for age, and persistent symptoms should never be ignored,” said Dr Smitha Saldanha, Consultant Medical Oncology, HCG Cancer centre. She stressed that early detection remains the single most important factor in survival.