Cancer Is Becoming More Common, Also More Treatable

March 14, 2025

Advances in cancer detection and treatment have made the disease more treatable and survivable than in years past. However, cancer rates are rising, with young adults affected in growing numbers.

“Since 1991, the rate of cancer mortality has dropped by 30 percent and much of it has to do with targeted therapies, better screening and new treatments,” says Ted Teknos, MD, President and Scientific Director of University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center.

“But while we’re seeing higher survival rates in older people, more young people are getting diagnosed.” Dr. Teknos shares more about recent trends in cancer diagnosis, screening and treatment.

Why Is Cancer Becoming More Common?

“Much of the increase in cancer among younger adults is lifestyle related,” says Dr. Teknos. “It’s dramatic when you look over the last 30 years – there’s been a 79 percent increase in cancer in people ages 18-49. That’s a big jump.”

Higher rates of obesity, processed food diets and sedentary lifestyles are driving the increase in younger people, as well as other factors such as alcohol consumption, chemicals in the environment and exposure to viruses, particularly human papillomavirus (HPV).

HPV, the most common sexually transmitted infection, is responsible for virtually all cervical cancers and the majority of anal, throat, penile, vaginal and vulvar cancers. About 45,000 HPV-related cancers are diagnosed annually in the United States.

Meanwhile, cancer rates in older adults have been steady or decreasing in some cases. “Lung cancer rates are going down in older adults” says Dr. Teknos. “Colorectal cancer rates are holding steady if not decreasing a little. It’s really a young person phenomenon where we’re seeing these increases.”

Better Detection

Advances in screening and diagnosis have increased early detection of many cancers, which is the key to successful treatment and fewer cancer deaths. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends routine screening for lung, breast, cervical and colorectal cancers.

One study found that lung cancer screening resulted in a 39 percent reduction in lung cancer deaths. Low-dose CT scans for patients at risk because of a smoking history can detect tumors before symptoms appear, when they’re highly treatable. Routine mammograms have also reduced breast cancer deaths.

The task force recently recommended that colorectal cancer screening start at age 45 instead of age 50, due to the growing number of cases among younger adults.

Advances in Genetic Testing

Genetic testing for people at higher risk of certain cancers from inherited genetic mutations has also improved early detection. Patients should discuss genetic testing if family members developed cancer before the age of 50, or if multiple family members developed similar cancers.

“There are well-known genetic mutations that predispose people to cancer,” says Dr. Teknos. “The BRCA gene predisposes someone to developing breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancers. There’s Lynch syndrome, which predisposes individuals and families to early colorectal cancer. Many other syndromes exist and others are being defined on a regular basis.”

Other advanced screening tests include:

Liquid biopsy. A blood test that can screen for more than 100 cancers in people at elevated risk.
HPV blood test. Detects HPV viral proteins circulating in the blood in patients with head and neck or anus and genital cancers.

Advances in Treatment

Cancer treatment has improved significantly with the development of targeted therapies and immunotherapy, and advances in radiation, surgery and other cancer drugs.

Radiation therapy has seen dramatic improvements in recent years. “It used to be that radiation was not very targeted, so there was a lot of damage to surrounding tissues,” Dr. Teknos says. “These new forms of radiation therapy are very focused, so they minimize damage to surrounding tissues and maximize energy that’s delivered to the malignancies.”

“Probably the biggest advance is immunotherapy with the advent of checkpoint inhibitors,” says Dr. Teknos. “These compounds are a revolution in cancer care. They turn off cells that can prevent the immune system from fighting cancer cells.”

Other types of immunotherapies such as cancer-specific vaccines, cytokines, BCG, monoclonal antibodies, bi-specific antibodies and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR T-cell therapy) have also become available in recent years – all boosting a cancer patient’s ability to fight cancer by activating the immune system.

“In nearly 20 percent of patients, dramatic responses to these treatments are being realized,” says Dr. Teknos. “Additional research has increased the response rate even further, fueling optimism for eventual cures for some cancers.”