"The so-called "birth cohort effect" was a striking pattern in our data.
This effect demonstrates that people born to successively later generations .
Those diagnosed with cancer before the age of 50 may have been exposed to harmful substances between the ages of 0 and 19, according to a report from Brigham and Women's Hospital.
More information on individual exposures is needed, but the study suggests that increased screening for some cancers may be to blame for the rising incidence.
Other factors, such as people's diet, weight, lifestyle, environmental exposure, and microbiome, may also be contributing to the rise in early-onset cancer.
Researchers concluded that "even in-utero exposures may lead to cellular reprogramming, including epigenetic modifications,"
The survey concluded that factors including alcohol intake raised the risk of malignancies.