The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has conducted a comprehensive analysis of cancer statistics for different age groups in the United States. The study reveals that between 2010 and 2019, the incidence rates of 14 cancer types increased among people under the age of 50. These cancer types include breast cancer, colorectal cancer, kidney cancer, uterine cancer, and others.

Lead investigator Meredith Shiels, Ph.D., notes that this study provides a starting point for understanding which cancers are increasing among individuals under 50. The causes of these increases are likely to be specific to each type of cancer, including changes in cancer risk factors, screening or detection methods, and clinical diagnosis or coding.

The researchers analyzed incidence and mortality trends for 33 cancer types using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s United States Cancer Statistics database and national death certificate data. They examined six age groups: three early-onset (15-29 years, 20-39 years, and 40-49 years) and three older-onset (50-59 years, 60-69 years, and 70-79 years).

The study found that the incidence of nine cancer types increased in at least one of the younger age groups, including female breast, colorectal, kidney, testicular, uterine, pancreatic, and three types of lymphoma. Although death rates did not increase in early-onset age groups for most of these cancers, researchers observed concerning increases in rates of colorectal and uterine cancer deaths at younger ages.

Only five cancer types increased in incidence among one of the younger age groups but not among any of the older age groups: melanoma, cervical cancer, stomach cancer, myeloma, and cancers of the bones and joints.

To better understand the magnitude of these increases, researchers estimated how many additional people were diagnosed with early-onset cancers in 2019 compared to expected diagnoses based on rates in 2010. The largest absolute increases were seen for female breast cancer (4,800 additional cases), followed by colorectal (2,100), kidney (1,800), uterine (1,200), and pancreatic cancers (500).

The researchers speculate that risk factors such as increasing obesity may have contributed to some of the increases in early-onset cancer incidence. Changes in cancer screening guidelines, advances in imaging technologies, and increased surveillance of high-risk individuals may also have led to earlier cancer diagnoses, potentially contributing to rising rates among younger age groups.

To more fully understand and address these increasing rates, future studies should examine trends in early-onset cancers across demographics and geography in the U.S. and internationally. Additional research is also needed to better understand the risk factors that are particularly relevant to younger people.

The article describes a groundbreaking study that has shown promising results in treating lymphoma patients who have resisted multiple rounds of other cancer treatments, including commercially available CAR T cell therapies. The new enhanced CAR T cell therapy, dubbed huCART19-IL18, was found to be highly effective in 81% of patients and resulted in complete remission in 52%. This is a significant improvement over traditional CAR T cell therapies, which have been shown to result in long-term remission in only around 50% of patients.

The study, led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, used a new process that shortens the manufacturing time for the CAR T cells to just three days. This means that patients with aggressive, fast-growing cancers can begin CAR T cell therapy quicker than is currently possible with standard manufacturing times of nine to 14 days.

The addition of interleukin 18 (IL18) to the CAR T cells enhanced their ability to attack cancer cells and protected them from immune suppression and T cell exhaustion. The researchers also found that the type of CAR T cell therapy patients previously received may impact the efficacy of huCART19-IL18.

This study represents a significant development in the ongoing evolution of CAR T cell therapy, as it is the first time a cytokine-enhanced CAR T has been tested in patients with blood cancer. The researchers believe that incorporating cytokine secretion into CAR T cell design will have broad implications for enhancing cellular therapies, even beyond blood cancers.

The study has already led to several other clinical trials being planned, including studies for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Another trial for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma using a similar IL18-armored CAR T cell product is currently enrolling patients. On the manufacturing side, the team is partnering with a Penn spinout company to improve the process for how these CAR T cells are created and expanded in the laboratory before being reinfused into the patient.

Overall, this study has shown promise in treating lymphoma patients who have resisted multiple rounds of other cancer treatments, and further research is needed to fully understand its potential.

Early Cancer Detection: New Algorithms Revolutionize Primary Care

Two groundbreaking predictive algorithms have been developed to help General Practitioners (GPs) identify patients who may have undiagnosed cancer, including hard-to-detect liver and oral cancers. These advanced models use information about a patient’s health conditions and simple blood tests to accurately predict their chances of having an undiagnosed cancer.

The National Health Service (NHS) currently uses algorithms like the QCancer scores to combine relevant patient data and identify individuals at high risk of having undiagnosed cancer, allowing GPs and specialists to call them in for further testing. Researchers from Queen Mary University of London and the University of Oxford have created two new algorithms using anonymized electronic health records from over 7.4 million adults in England.

The new models are significantly more sensitive than existing ones, potentially leading to better clinical decision-making and earlier cancer diagnosis. Crucially, these algorithms incorporate the results of seven routine blood tests as biomarkers to improve early cancer detection. This approach makes it easier for patients to receive treatment at much earlier stages, increasing their chances of survival.

Compared to the QCancer algorithms, the new models identified four additional medical conditions associated with an increased risk of 15 different cancers, including liver, kidney, and pancreatic cancers. The researchers also found two additional associations between family history and lung cancer and blood cancer, as well as seven new symptoms of concern (itching, bruising, back pain, hoarseness, flatulence, abdominal mass, dark urine) associated with multiple cancer types.

The study’s lead author, Professor Julia Hippisley-Cox, said: “These algorithms are designed to be embedded into clinical systems and used during routine GP consultations. They offer a substantial improvement over current models, with higher accuracy in identifying cancers – especially at early, more treatable stages.”

Dr Carol Coupland, senior researcher and co-author, added: “These new algorithms for assessing individuals’ risks of having currently undiagnosed cancer show improved capability of identifying people most at risk of having one of 15 types of cancer based on their symptoms, blood test results, lifestyle factors, and other information recorded in their medical records.”