• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Doctor shares six common cancer symptoms everyone under 50 should be aware of

Home> News> Health

Published 14:13 29 May 2025 GMT+1

Doctor shares six common cancer symptoms everyone under 50 should be aware of

Medics are saying that cancer cases in younger people are on the rise

Liv Bridge

Liv Bridge

A doctor has revealed the six common cancer symptoms everyone under the age of 50 should be aware of.

Although the risk of cancer increases as we get older, with the average age at diagnosis around 68, doctors have been reporting a dramatic rise of cases in the under 50s.

According to researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital at Boston, cancer among the younger cohort may be foreshadowing an 'emerging pandemic,' reports Cancer Center.

Advert

Of the types on the rise include breast cancer, lymphoma and colorectal cancer, as well as testicular, kidney and pancreatic, and doctors don't know why.

That's according to Dr Paul Oberstein, a professor of medicine at New York University, who took to the New York Post to reveal the six emerging symptoms that young people should look out for as a possible early sign of the disease.

Cancer is on the rise for people under 50 (Getty Images)
Cancer is on the rise for people under 50 (Getty Images)

Weight loss

Losing weight deliberately through diet and exercise is a different ballgame to those who suddenly drop the pounds without any material change to their lifestyle.

Advert

Dr Oberstein said a common symptom among cancer patients is unintentional weight loss as well as feeling full quickly after eating, a change in energy levels and/or changes to sleep patterns.

"These are very general things, and usually they don’t mean cancer, but sometimes they could be the first sign that something is wrong," he said. "The most prominent of these symptoms is unintentional weight loss. Usually, people don’t lose weight without effort."

Sudden weight loss without effort can be a concern (Getty Images)
Sudden weight loss without effort can be a concern (Getty Images)

Night sweats and chills

On the subject of sleep, some nighttime changes like night sweats or unexplained chills 'could be a sign of something brewing in the lymph system, such as lymphoma.'

Advert

The doc says these changes could also 'signal something else' and people should be particularly mindful of any swelling in the glands under the armpits or where the lymph nodes are.

Bowel changes

The doc said there are some bathroom abnormalities that could be a red flag for possible colon cancer.

He wrote: "If the stool looks different — it’s darker, a different caliber or blood is present — that’s a concern."

Advert

"We’ve tracked the colorectal cancer increase in the US and around the world over the last decade. We think the rise is related to environmental and dietary changes, but we have not yet pinpointed the exact cause," he added.

Bowel changes is another one to look out for (Getty Images)
Bowel changes is another one to look out for (Getty Images)

Lumps

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in people under 50, accounting for about 30 percent of all new female cancers every year in the US.

Advert

Rates are on the rise overall (by one percent) and 'a little steeper' among women under the age of 50 (1.4 percent), reports the American Cancer Society, with trends suggesting excess body weight, not having children or having a child after the age of 30.

Dr Oberstein says the clearest indicator is lumps, changes in skin color or breast discharge.

Another common increase is testicular cancer, which can be caught similarly from feeling a lump or abnormality in the testicles, which may or may not be painful.

Breast cancer can be detected by abnormalities like lumps or a change in skin color (Getty Images)
Breast cancer can be detected by abnormalities like lumps or a change in skin color (Getty Images)

Bleeding

Blood can also show up in various concerning places.

Advert

"For example, blood in the urine can be an early sign of a problem in the bladder or kidneys," the doctor continued. "Vaginal bleeding or bleeding after intercourse could indicate cervical cancer or potentially even endometrial cancer and should be checked out."

The good news, he says, is that cervical cancer has become less common in younger adults.

Skin changes

Cancer of the skin (melanoma) is the most common of all cancers in the US.

Advert

Dr Oberstein warns early signs can be caught through abnormalities in the skin with anything new or changing, which he says should prompt a discussion with a healthcare professional.

Melanoma is the most common cancer in the US (Getty Images)
Melanoma is the most common cancer in the US (Getty Images)

How to lower cancer risk

There are ways to mitigate against the risk of cancer, by improving diet, quitting smoking and increasing exercise, the doctor states.

Advert

Doctor's appointments for any concerning systems and cancer screening are also at the top of the list, he adds.

Women under the age of 50 can book for a mammogram to check for breast cancer and a pap smear to screen for cervical cancer.

Meanwhile, anyone aged 45 and over can book a colonoscopy for colon cancer and a prostate cancer screening can also be recommended.

For those with family history of cancer, screening for thyroid and blood cancers can also be booked.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Tom Werner

Topics: Cancer, Health, Breast cancer, US News

Liv Bridge
Liv Bridge

Liv Bridge is a digital journalist who joined the UNILAD team in 2024 after almost three years reporting local news for a Newsquest UK paper, The Oldham Times. She's passionate about health, housing, food and music, especially Oasis...

X

@livbridge

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

an hour ago
  • an hour ago

    Everyone is pointing out the same thing as three US stealth bombers take off from military base amid Israel-Iran conflict

    Everyone is saying the same thing after President Donald Trump deployed bombers to a military base near Iran

    News
  • an hour ago

    Horrifying footage shows what happens when customer eats 'hottest curry' that waiter has to wear gas mask to serve

    Bengal Village in East London put the diner through his paces with the curry, which left him on the floor outside

    News
  • an hour ago

    Japan discovers metal that could drastically change the world after investing $107,000,000,000 into revolution

    The discovery will help fund Japan's bid to become a net-zero country by 2050

    Technology
  • an hour ago

    Lizzo discusses use of Ozempic as she reveals 'controversial' truth behind weight-loss

    The star has opened up about using it

    Celebrity
  • People break down the 5 symptoms you should never ignore that could be a sign of deadly cancer
  • Doctor warns of the worrying symptoms that mean common disorder could actually be bowel cancer
  • Fitness enthusiast reveals first 'normal' symptoms which lead to cancer diagnosis despite healthy lifestyle
  • Doctors issue warning about little-known symptoms of rare cancer as diagnoses quadruple in two generations