At this point in the year many of us have already given up on our New Year’s resolutions, but if your resolution was to lose weight this year, it might be time to revisit it, especially if you are a young adult. A study reported by cnn.com reveals that obesity-related cancers are increasing among the 24 to 49 year old age group, and the risk is increasing at progressively younger ages. There are six cancers that showed increases in younger adults — colorectal, endometrial, gallbladder, kidney, pancreatic, and multiple myeloma. These cancers are traditionally found in people in their 60s and 70s, but now the risk of these cancers in millennials is almost double what it was for baby boomers when they were the same age. More information about the study and the connection between obesity and cancer can be found here.

The increase in cancer rates in younger adults is alarming, but being able to detect the disease at an earlier stage increases the chance for survival. Pancreatic cancer is a cancer that is difficult to diagnose early. It is almost always diagnosed at an advanced stage and about 95 percent of people diagnosed with it will die of it. Now, Norwegian researchers may have a clue into better understanding pancreatic cancer which could eventually lead to earlier diagnosis, reports sciencenordic.com. The researchers learned that there may be a connection between blood type and pancreatic cancer. People with blood type A have a slightly increased pancreatic cancer risk and people with blood type O seem to have a slight protection from the disease. The differences in risk are small, but the data is consistent to studies in other countries and may provide insight into better understanding the disease. Researchers hypothesize that intestinal flora, the immune system, and digestive enzymes may play a role in the contraction of the disease and give researchers a direction for further study. Learn more here.

While not on the list of cancers being found more often in younger adults, prostate cancer remains the most common cancer among men. Typically, it can be successfully treated, but the cancer often spreads making more aggressive treatment necessary. Unfortunately, there’s been no way of knowing when or if the cancer will spread — until now. There’s a specific gene responsible for the spread of prostate cancer, reports medicalxpress.com, and a study at Rutgers University has found it. The NSD2 gene, which indicates when patients are at high-risk for the cancer to spread, was found through a computer algorithm. Researchers were able to turn off the gene in mice and prevent the cancer from spreading. Being able to identify when the cancer may spread will allow for more targeted treatment and prevention. Also, it might be possible to use the algorithm for other cancers as well, which is good news for everyone. More information about the NSD2 gene and the computer algorithm can be found here.

No matter what age someone gets cancer, pain can often be a side-effect of the cancer itself or of the treatment. Pain occurs in up to 50 percent of people with cancer. Cancer-related pain is real, and it can last long after treatment, but cancer.gov says that there is renewed interest in seeking new, non-addictive pain medications, as well as other pain management solutions, for cancer patients and survivors. Medications are being developed, and options such as cannabinoids (chemicals found in marijuana), are being explored to treat bone pain and pain in the head and neck from oral cancers. Pain is also a side-effect of treatments such as chemotherapy, and prevention is being sought for that type of pain as well. Non-drug treatments that are being considered are yoga, Tai Chi, and mindfulness meditation. There is much, much more to be explored about the potential for pain management, but more about what is already being done can be found here.

Alleviating the pain of cancer whether through pain management, early diagnosis, or preventing the disease from spreading is definitely a step in the right direction for ensuring that all patients are empowered patients.

Jennifer Lessinger

Jennifer Lessinger is a professional writer and editor who learned the value of patient empowerment during her struggle with a hard-to-diagnose and complex endocrine disorder.