More young people seem to be getting cancer, and scientists are trying to figure out why.
It might be because people are aging faster than before.
Here’s the idea: even though we’re living longer overall, the healthy part of our lives (when we’re healthy and active) isn’t getting any longer. This “faster aging” could be linked to things like air travel, radiation, and environmental chemicals.
Inside our bodies, some cells stop dividing but don’t die. These “stubborn” cells can cause problems and are linked to cancer. Studies show these cells can even cause cancer in younger bodies.
The strange part is, even though fewer people smoke and there’s a focus on healthy weight, young people seem to be aging faster. Scientists wonder if there’s something else in the environment causing this, something they haven’t discovered yet.
Scientists are looking for the reason young people are aging faster and why this might be linked to more young people getting cancer.