Cancer cases are increasing in women and declining in men, according to a new report released Thursday.
The annual data by the American Cancer Society shows middle-aged women are now more likely to develop cancer than men in the same age group, and young women are nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with cancer as young men.
Researchers say the significant shift happened over the past two decades.
Cancer incidence rates in women ages 50 to 64 have surpassed men of the same age. Rates in women under 50 years old are now 82 percent higher than their male counterparts, up from 51 percent in 2002.
Breast and thyroid cancers have driven the increase, accounting for almost half of all diagnoses in women younger than 50 years old. Endometrial cancer and melanoma have also contributed to the increase.
Reasons for the shift remain unknown, however, doctors have cited alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, and the consumption of ultra-processed foods as some possible factors.
Researchers also noted that in 2020, the coronavirus pandemic caused delays in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer due to limited access to health care facilities, loss of employment and health insurance, and fear of exposure to COVID-19.
In the coming years, researchers will be looking at the possible link of such delays to increased diagnosis of advanced-stage disease and higher cancer mortality.
That reflects 2020 data collected by the American Society of Clinical Oncology which shows that among Americans scheduled for cancer screening tests during the COVID-19 pandemic, 64 percent reported that it was delayed or canceled.
Conversely, cancer mortality has steadily declined due to reduced smoking and improvements in screening and treatments. Those changes have been credited for saving approximately 4.5 million lives, according to the report. The report also found that cancer incidence, or the frequency of new cases, has decreased among children but increased among adolescents.
The American Cancer Society also provided cancer projections in its annual report. It estimates that 2.04 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2025, and 618,120 cancer deaths will occur this year.
The most common diagnoses in the United States this year are expected to be breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung and bronchial cancer.
The report highlights cancer as the second leading cause of death in the country overall and the leading cause among Americans younger than 85 years old. This year, the cancer types projected to cause the most deaths are lung and bronchial, colorectal, and pancreatic cancer.
Health professionals suggest Americans be proactive when it comes to their health to reduce the risk of cancer. This includes creating healthy habits such as diet and exercise, as well as having a better understanding of family cancer history.