Cancer Rates Are Rising in Young Women. Here’s How to Lower Your Risk
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An unnerving trend is taking shape among cancer diagnoses: Cases are increasing in women, particularly young ones, even as they decline in men overall, according to a report from the American Cancer Society released this month. For middle-aged folks (ages 50 to 64), rates in women climbed past those in men in 2021 (despite being 21% lower in 2007), but what’s most unsettling is the gender gap in young people. Rates of cancer in women under 50 are now 82% higher than in men of the same age (up from 51% in 2002).
Part of that spike is due to rising rates of cancers that affect primarily women, including breast cancer and endometrial cancer (a.k.a. cancer in the lining of the uterus), Rebecca Siegel, MPH, senior scientific director of surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and the first author of the above report, tells SELF. Cervical cancer is also on the rise in women ages 30 to 44, who Siegel says are less likely to have received the vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes the disease, since it was released during their teenage years (and wouldn’t have been included in their childhood regimen) and may also be likeliest to bypass gyno appointments (more on this later). But the cancer burden is also now disproportionately borne by women for liver cancer, melanoma, and lung cancer. (Also worth noting: The report found that colorectal cancer rates, which have been rising in young people for the past 30 years, have continued to tick upward among both men and women under age 65.)
The reason why isn’t totally clear, though it’s probably multifaceted. In the case of breast cancer, the report suggests trends toward putting off or opting against childbearing and breastfeeding—which can protect against it—might be a factor. Across all types of cancer, it’s also possible that certain environmental elements are to blame, like chemicals used in food, personal care and household products, and packaging. (These have been developed and used increasingly in the past 50 years, meaning young folks have had more exposure.)
But what experts agree on is that a person’s lifestyle habits can also significantly influence risk. To some extent, changes in diet, physical activity levels, and other everyday behaviors may be fueling the uptick in young women—which also means it’s in your power to better your odds. Indeed, research suggests as many as 40% of cancer cases are driven by “modifiable” risk factors. Read on for the proven steps you can take to reduce your cancer risk now and down the line.
1. Really, truly avoid smoking or using any kind of tobacco or nicotine product.
Those poignant ads from the 2010s featuring former smokers struggling to breathe or speak really said it all: Smoking directly ups your risk of cancer—no ifs, ands, or buts about it. According to the American Cancer Society, 20% of all US cancers and 30% of all US deaths from cancer can be attributed to smoking, thanks to a laundry list of carcinogens in tobacco. And it’s not just lung, throat, and oral cancers, either. Puffing on cigs has been linked to elevated risk of kidney, liver, stomach, pancreas, and bladder cancers, among others. (That last one even made it onto cigarette box warnings starting in 2020 after research found that current-smokers are four times more likely to get bladder cancer as never-smokers—because tobacco chemicals can wind up concentrated in pee.) And things only escalate if you smoke and drink alcohol, Siegel says. (More to come on booze and cancer below.) Doing both spikes your risk fivefold over engaging in just one or the other.
The research on smokeless tobacco products (like snuff or dissolvable forms) and cancer shows the same trajectory: Any amount increases your risk, in this case specifically of cancers of the head and neck, esophagus, and pancreas. That’s because you’re still being exposed to many of those cancer-causing agents in tobacco smoke—just via different means.
At this point, you might be wondering about vaping and e-cigarettes, which are free from tobacco but include nicotine, the chemical that makes tobacco addictive. There’s less research here since vaping hasn’t been around nearly as long, Siegel notes, but it’s not looking great: Studies suggest the body might turn nicotine into cancer-causing agents once you inhale (or ingest) it, making it potentially carcinogenic in and of itself.
All to say, you’ll reduce your cancer risk by steering clear of any of the above—though that’s often way easier said than done. Siegel recommends chatting with your doctor about smoking cessation products if you’re looking to start that journey. (While you’re at it, check out our realistic guides to quitting smoking or nixing your vaping habit for good too.)
2. Make physical activity a part of your regular routine.
You might think of exercise as a boon for things like your muscles and bones, as well as your endurance and heart health—and that’s all true. But there’s a whole body of research linking regular heart-pumping movement with a lower risk of cancer too. Just take this massive 2016 study, which used data from nearly 1.5 million people who were followed for several years: It found that folks who reported being physically active in their downtime were less likely to develop 13 different types of cancer, including breast, endometrial, colon, liver, kidney, and stomach. It’s no wonder the American Cancer Society recommends sticking to the general US guidelines for aerobic activity in order to slash your cancer risk too. (Muscle-strengthening exercises are also important for overall health, but there’s less evidence linking these with cancer risk, specifically.)
As a refresher, those guidelines suggest that each week, you do one of the below:
150 to 300 minutes (2.5 to 5 hours) of moderate intensity aerobic exercise
75 to 150 (a little over an hour to 2.5 hours) of vigorous intensity aerobic activity
Some equivalent combination of the above
A 2020 review of hundreds of studies on exercise and cancer risk even confirmed that the levels of activity outlined in these recommendations are indeed associated with a lower cancer risk of up to 20% across a whole bunch of different types. And research suggests a variety of explanations that could explain that link, including exercise’s effect on levels of hormones like estrogen and insulin that influence some cancers, as well as its ability to ramp up the activity of some immune cells and keep inflammation at bay.
What’s more: The 2020 review above also found that “any level of physical activity likely confers some benefit” on cancer risk. “Even these little spurts of movement that you might pepper throughout the day are really important,” Jennifer Litton, MD, a breast medical oncologist at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, tells SELF. Say, walking up and down the stairs between meetings or doing a few jumping jacks after sitting for a while. In fact, a 2023 study following more than 22,000 “non-exercisers” for an average of about seven years found that doing short bursts of intense movement (just three to four minutes) each day was associated with up to 18% lower cancer risk than doing none—clear proof that every little bit counts.
3. Eat more plants and less red and processed meat.
Plenty of studies have pinpointed specific foods and drinks as potential cancer-fighting agents (like garlic, green tea, and raspberries, to name just a few). But there’s not enough evidence to say that loading up on one or all of them will magically protect you. In terms of cancer, a more supportive—and practical—approach is to up your intake of fruits and vegetables generally (as well as other plant foods like legumes and whole grains), according to the American Cancer Society.
These foods are “nutrient-dense and filled with a wide range of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other substances that may help prevent several cancers,” Marissa Shams-White, PhD, a senior principal scientist who oversees diet assessment initiatives at the American Cancer Society, tells SELF. Indeed, research has directly linked high fruit and veg intake with a lower risk of colorectal, breast, and lung cancers, and emerging evidence suggests a plant-heavy diet can cut your risks of stomach, mouth, throat, and esophagus cancers too.
On the flip side, plenty of distinct foods and food groups have been villainized as cancer-causers or at least agents of increased risk, like refined grains, ultraprocessed foods, and, in some cases, dairy—but research isn’t conclusive for most. There are a couple, however, that have a clearly demonstrated link with cancer and are worth cutting down on, namely processed meat and red meat. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) deems the first a Group 1 carcinogen (meaning, it’s been directly shown to cause cancer in people) and the second a Group 2 carcinogen (because it’s “probably” carcinogenic). Most of the research ties these foods to colorectal cancer, specifically, but some evidence also suggests a link with elevated risk of other cancers like stomach, pancreatic, and prostate, Dr. Shams-White says. “The heme iron found in red meat may produce cancer-causing compounds in the body, and both red and processed meats can form similarly dangerous compounds if they’re cooked at high temperatures or due to the process of preserving them,” she explains.
4. Notch down your alcohol intake, ideally to zero.
Unlike tobacco, which has long been pinned as a cancer-causer (and rightly so), alcohol has flown under the radar in that realm. Its role as a carcinogen—which, BTW, it is!—has been downplayed by research suggesting that maybe a little is good for your heart or at least won’t harm you. But in recent years, the record’s been set straight: The World Health Organization says there is “no safe amount” of alcohol to consume, largely because of its link with at least seven types of cancers (including, yes, liver cancer, but also breast, stomach, and head and neck). And in January 2025, the US surgeon general called alcohol a “leading preventable cause of cancer” and suggested warning labels be added to bottles.
It turns out, alcohol can irritate or stress out the cells lining your GI tract and in your liver (which is in charge of detoxing the substance). And they may not always be capable of repairing themselves completely or correctly, upping the risk that some of them become cancerous. Separately, alcohol can spike your estrogen levels, contributing specifically to an increased risk of breast cancer. All of this is dose-dependent, so the more you drink, the higher the risk, and the less, the lower. But for some cancers, especially breast cancer, that risk starts with any alcohol intake, Siegel says.
That’s why your best bet, for max reduction of your cancer risk, is to cut out alcohol. After all, consuming none of a toxin is always going to be better than consuming some. But practically, there are plenty of reasons you might choose to imbibe that have nothing to do with your physical health. So if you can at least drink less (whatever that means for you), Siegel says that’d be an anti-cancer win too. To get specific, the American Cancer Society suggests no more than one drink a day for women and two a day for men.
5. Stay up-to-date with cancer screenings—which may mean going earlier or more often if you have a family history.
A heartbreaking fact: Several of the cancers that are rising in young women can be either detected early (breast) or even outright prevented (cervical and colorectal) with regular screenings. For the latter two, screenings allow your doctor to spot any precancerous lesions (or clusters of funky-looking cells that might turn into cancer down the line), Siegel explains, which can be removed before they become cancerous.
In the case of cervical cancer, which is largely considered preventable, screening recommendations span ages 21 to 65—fully covering women ages 30 to 44 in whom rates are rising, making this trend especially troubling to Siegel. Part of the problem might be the not-so-clear recommendations themselves, which surveys suggest may be causing folks in this group to just put off gyno appointments altogether. The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends people with a cervix age 21 to 29 get a Pap every three years (starting at age 21) and people with a cervix age 30 to 65 get either a test for human papillomavirus (HPV) or a co-test (which involves a Pap and HPV test) every five years or continue with a Pap every three years. But the bottom line, Siegel says, is to keep up with regular gyno visits starting in your 20s and until you’re 65.
When it comes to breast and colorectal cancer, official recommendations for screening don’t start until age 40 for breast (mammogram) and age 45 for colorectal cancer (colonoscopy), so every new case in young women can’t be as easily caught or prevented as with cervical cancer. (After the initial visit, it’s standard to be rescreened every other year for breast and every 10 years for colorectal.)
But what’s critical to note is that all of these recommendations are for people at an average risk—and you may need to get screened earlier, more often, or both if you’re at higher-than-typical risk. The exact method for determining a person’s risk varies depending on the type of cancer, but family history plays a big role across the board, Dr. Litton says. In some cases, your doctor might suggest you get screened for the same condition that a close relative had when you’re 5 to 10 years younger than they were when they got diagnosed (even if that’s earlier than the typical recommendation) and return for more frequent scans.
Having family members who’ve had certain types of cancer could also warrant genetic testing to see whether you might have inherited a gene mutation that substantially ups your risk, Dr. Litton says. (This can be the case with colorectal, breast, pancreatic, uterine, and ovarian cancers, for instance.) Hence why both experts emphasize surfacing any family cancer dynamics with your doctor to figure out whether there’s a test or screening you should have on your radar.
And on the topic of body weight…
Weight comes up early and often on the subject of cancer risk reduction because there’s a good deal of observational evidence linking excess body weight with various types of cancer, like stomach, pancreas, ovarian, endometrial, and colorectal. But that doesn’t negate a couple other truths, one being that your body weight cannot, in and of itself, predict your health, and two being that the current measure of what counts as “excess” body weight (namely, having a certain body mass index) is flawed. (A group of experts proposed a new diagnostic for obesity just this month that would better take into account things like body composition and fat distribution.)
The reason why extra body weight might be linked to cancer risk isn’t super clear, and a few things might be in play. Some research suggests fat tissue might pump out inflammatory chemicals, triggering the elevated baseline inflammation connected with many chronic conditions like cancer. Other research points to the hormone activity of fat cells, especially their ability to create extra estrogen and thus amplify your risk of estrogen-influenced cancers like ovarian and endometrial. But even that link is murky: In the case of breast cancer, for instance, carrying excess weight only seems to be a risk factor after menopause and not before (for reasons that aren’t known). It’s also hard to parse how much of the connection between weight and cancer is about the weight or fat itself and how much might be tied to lifestyle factors associated with this body type.
So rather than focusing on a scale number, devote your attention to the habits above—which are both wholly in your control and proven to lower cancer risk. And if it’s feeling like a mammoth list, start with just one, Siegel says. She sees each day as a fresh opportunity to make a supportive choice. Maybe you leave the vape at home on a night out or add an extra 10 minutes to your walk. It’s all cumulative, she says: “It’s all going to help.”
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Originally Appeared on Self
