Washington: A rare but serious cancer is sharply rising among millennials and Generation X, according to a new study published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers analyzed national cancer data from the SEER Program.
They found that diagnoses of appendix cancer have tripled in Americans born between 1976 and 1984 and quadrupled in those born between 1981 and 1989. Lead author Dr. Andreana Holowatyj emphasized the need for greater public awareness, noting that one in three appendix cancer cases now occurs in people under 50.
Although rare—affecting just one to two people per million each year in the U.S.—appendix cancer is often diagnosed late due to vague early symptoms or none at all. As the disease advances, signs such as abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and feeling full quickly may appear.
The cancer has two main types: epithelial and neuroendocrine. Treatment usually involves surgery and chemotherapy. With no standard screening guidelines and few known risk factors, up to half of the cases are detected only after the cancer has spread.
The study calls for urgent education for healthcare providers and the public, citing the potential long-term burden of rising rates in younger generations.
