health
Poor sleep linked to rising cancer risk in under-50s
Findings add to growing efforts to explain why cancer rates are increasing among younger adults worldwide
TL;DR
- Cases of early-onset cancer (under-50s) have risen by almost 80% globally between 1990 and 2019.
- Cancer deaths in this age group also saw a 27% increase during the same period.
- Two studies presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting suggest poor sleeping patterns may be a contributing factor.
- Research found that people with poor sleep were more likely to develop bowel, breast, uterine, or ovarian cancer.
- Individuals with insomnia were observed to be up to three times more likely to develop cancer within five years.
- Experts caution that these studies show an association, and further research is needed to establish a direct causal link.
- Lifestyle factors such as genetics, diet, obesity, lack of exercise, and smoking are also considered potential contributors to rising early-onset cancer rates.