A life full of miracles

Cancer among younger Americans is on the rise, new study shows

A recent study published in JAMA Network Open has highlighted a concerning trend of increasing cancer rates among younger Americans, particularly women. The study showed that cancers among people under 50 have slightly increased overall, with the largest increases seen in the 30 to 39 age group. Gastrointestinal, endocrine, and breast cancers were climbing at the fastest rates. 

The senior author of the study, Assistant Professor Daniel Huang from NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Senior Consultant, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, and Adult Liver Transplantation Programme, National University Centre for Organ Transplantation, National University Hospital, was cited in the reports.

• CNN, 16 August 2023, Cancer diagnosis rates are going up in younger adults, study finds, driven largely by rises in women and people in their 30s
  

• Forbes, 16 August 2023, Cancer rates among Americans Under 50 Are Slightly Rising, New Study Finds
  

• New York Post, 17 August 2023, Cancer cases are rising among younger Americans: ‘alarming’ trend
  

• Yahoo! News, 18 August 2023, New study shows significant rise in cancer rates among young AAPIs
  

• Xinhua, 17 August 2023, Cancers among younger Americans under 50 on rise: study
  

• Next Shark, 17 August 2023, New study shows significant rise in cancer rates among young AAPIs
  

• WebMD, 17 August 2023, Cancer rates rise among people under age 50
  

• The American Journal of Managed Care, 16 August 2023, Early-onset cancer incidence in the US increased through 2010s
  

• Healthline, 17 August 2023, Cancer rates on the rise for people under 50, here’s the groups affected
  

• NewsNation, 17 August 2023, 17 August 2023, Researchers find increase in younger people diagnosed with cancer
  

• The Philadelphia Tribune, 17 August 2023, Cancer diagnosis rates are going up in younger adults, study finds, driven largely by rises in women and people in their 30s
  

• Chief Healthcare Executive, 17 August 2023, More cancers found in those under 50, with women seeing higher increases
  

• The Messenger, 17 August 2023, Cancer rates are going up in those under age 50
  

• CGTN America Youtube, 17  August 2023, Study finds increase cancer cases in younger Americans
  

• KazInform, 17 August 2023, Cancers among younger Americans under 50 on rise: study
  

• Newsday, 16 August 2023, Cancer rate among those under age 50 ‘increased substantially’ from 2010-2019, report finds
  

• Star Tribune, 16 August 2023, Cancer among younger Americans is on the rise, new study shows
  

• Staten Island, 17 August 2023, Advance, Cancer rates among younger adults rose last decade, new study shows
  

• Red Lake Nation News, 17 August 2023, Cancer among younger Americans is on the rise, new study shows
  

• The Bulletin, 17 August 2023, Cancer rising among younger Americans, new study shows
  

• Time News, 17 August 2023, Rising rates of cancer among young people: a grim new trend
  

• Science Alert, 17 August 2023, More young people are getting cancer, and we don’t know why
  

• Philly Voice, 17 August 2023, Cancer rates among people in their 30s have risen significantly, study finds
  

本地器官捐赠率低 医生促加强宣导 (Local organ donation rate is low, doctors encourage greater awareness and understanding)

In a World Organ Donation Day feature, Dr Emmett Wong Tsz Yeung, Consultant in National University Centre for Organ Transplantation's (NUCOT) Adult Kidney Transplantation Programme, and National University Hospital’s (NUH) Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, explained that a kidney transplant is the best treatment for patients with kidney failure. The average waiting time for patients on the deceased donor waitlist is almost 10 years, while the median survival for patients on dialysis is about six to eight years. He also shared some of the reasons for low deceased and living kidney donor rates in Singapore. 

The report featured an NUH patient who is currently undergoing dialysis while waiting for a deceased donor kidney transplant. Her husband, who is not a suitable living donor for her, also shared how his wife’s experience made him aware of the importance of organ donation. He has since opted in for MTERA, where all his organs and tissues would be donated for transplant and treatment, as well as education and research after death. 

本地器官捐赠率低 医生促加强宣导 (Local organ donation rate is low, doctors encourage greater awareness and understanding)

Health Matters: Can I live with just one kidney?

​In a World Organ Donation Day special live interview, Dr Hersharan Kaur Sran, Medical Director & Senior Consultant, Adult Kidney Transplantation Programme, National University Centre for Organ Transplantation, shared the reasons for a kidney donation, how challenging it is to find a right match, and the importance of living kidney donors. She highlighted that it is possible to live a normal life with one healthy kidney.

Health Matters: Can I live with just one kidney?

​In a World Organ Donation Day special live interview, Dr Hersharan Kaur Sran, Medical Director & Senior Consultant, Adult Kidney Transplantation Programme, NUCOT, shared the reasons for a kidney donation, how challenging it is to find a right match, and the importance of living kidney donors. She highlighted that it is possible to live a normal life with one healthy kidney.

育儿有方：如何让孩子吃得好 (Good parenting: How to get children to eat well)

​Dr Tammy Lim, Consultant, Division of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Nutrition, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, KTP-NUCMI, NUH, shared about baby-led weaning and what parents should look out for when they adopt this feeding practice. She highlighted that parents and caregivers should ensure that the child’s development is progressing normally before starting on baby-led weaning.

Specialists in the Unusual: In life and in death

儿童误吞玩具或造成生命危险　但不是每次都必须直奔急诊室 (Children accidentally swallowing toys might be life-threatening but it does not always require visit to the Emergency Department)

Kids swallowing objects: How long does it take for a coin, battery or magnet to pass through?

How long do kids swallowing objects take to pass?

储存脐带血 利人也利己 (Cord blood storage: Benefiting self and others)

​With Cord Blood Awareness Month in July, ZB spoke to Dr Tan Lip Kun and A/Prof Koh Liang Piu from the Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute Singapore, on the benefits of cord blood storage and the various medical conditions that cord blood can help to treat.

Dr Tan, who is also Senior Consultant, Haematology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine, National University Hospital, said cord blood is rich in haematopoietic stem cells and can be used for stem cell transplant for patients with malignant conditions or for non-malignant conditions. It is also a rich source of cells for use in regenerative medicine. The cells are stored in a frozen state and can be accessed years later if a patient needs it.

A/Prof Koh shared that more than 100 cord transplants have been performed in adult patients over the last 16 years. The outcome of transplant is comparable to that of international cord transplant registries with 40-50 per cent long term survival. A/Prof Koh is the Clinical Director, Adult Haematopoietic Cell Transplant Programme, National University Cancer Institute Singapore.

The doctors highlighted the difference between autologous cord blood banking (i.e. for the child's own use) and cord blood banking for allograft (i.e. for others to use). They encouraged public cord blood banking as there is low probability that the donor should ever need or benefit from his/her own cord blood unit.

研究：孩童误吞异物 逾八成两周内自然排出 (Study: More than 80 per cent of foreign objects swallowed by children will be excreted naturally within two weeks)

为捐肾救女儿 戒40年烟瘾调整作息 (Father quits smoking after 40 years to donate kidney and save daughter’s life)

​For Father’s Day, Lianhe Zaobao featured the story of how Mr Zhang Bao Cheng made significant lifestyle changes – including quitting a 40-year smoking habit – to donate one of his kidneys to his daughter after she was diagnosed with kidney failure. The transplant was successfully completed at NUCOT after a five-hour operation. 

Article cited Dr Hersharan Kaur Sran, Medical Director & Senior Consultant of the Adult Kidney Transplantation Programme, NUCOT, who explained that the brief period of organ rejection Ms Zhang experienced post-transplant was due to the presence of a small number of antibodies in her blood that rejected foreign organs and tissues. Following two weeks of treatment, Ms Zhang made a full recovery. Mr Zhang said the family was grateful to the doctors and healthcare team who supported them.

Dads: What I did for love (Afraid of needles, but he donated kidney to his daughter)