Scrolling through celebrity news is usually a pretty mindless pastime, but lately, the headlines have hit many of us a little too close to home.
First, there was the story of actress Olivia Munn’s breast cancer diagnosis. And then came the announcement from Kate Middleton, now known as Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, that she was undergoing cancer treatment. If these stories sent a shiver down your spine, you weren’t alone. After all, if young and healthy celebrities are getting cancer, who among us is safe?
The harsh reality is that cancer patients are getting increasingly younger. A recent study reported by the American Cancer Society found that between 1995 and 2020, adults younger than 50 were the only age group to see a rise in cancer diagnoses, compared with adults aged 50 to65 and older than 65.
Colorectal cancer, traditionally seen as a disease affecting older age groups, is rapidly rising in adults under 50. It’s now the No. 1 cause of cancer death for men and the second leading cause of cancer death for women in this age group. Meanwhile, cervical cancer is increasing in an even younger population: women aged 30 to 44.
The good news is that these types of cancer, as well as skin cancer and breast cancer, are screenable – meaning you have a better chance of catching them early to prevent them from spreading if you’re getting checked. By screening early and often, we can identify abnormalities early and take proactive steps to prevent disease progression.
For instance, due to increased instances of breast cancer in younger women, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recently lowered its recommended age for women to start breast cancer screening, from starting at age 50 to beginning at 40.
Get screened earlier
Understanding when and how often you should be screened based on your individual risk factors can be daunting, so it’s an important first step to establish a primary care doctor if you don’t already have one.
Primary care doctors see you regularly, so we have opportunities to keep your family history updated, assess potential risk factors and get you scheduled for any screenings needed. We also help support your healthy lifestyle goals on a regular basis, which can also help you prevent disease.
At a minimum, you should set up an annual physical with a primary care doctor. Women should also have a regular cervical cancer screening via a Pap test, which can be conducted during your physical at least once every three to five years, depending on your age.
Roper St. Francis Healthcare also offers free community cancer screenings frequently around the Lowcountry. Find out more at rsfh.com/cancer-classes or by calling 843-402-CARE.
May is Cancer Survivor’s Month. If you ask any cancer survivor to give advice to a healthy person, they would almost always say something like: “Go get checked.” That’s typically because early detection is the reason they survived.
So if you think that young, healthy people need to see a doctor only when they’re sick, this message is for you: Go get screened today for cancer and other diseases.
Dr. George Keogh is a medical oncologist and hematologist, as well as a partner with Charleston Oncology, a department of Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Charleston.
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