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A New City of Hope Orange County Report Reveals Concerning Trends About Cancer in Younger Adults in Southern California

City of Hope Orange County, the most advanced cancer research and treatment organization in Orange County, has released a report that evaluates the cancer incidence rate in people ages 18 and 49 in Orange County and Southern California amid a national epidemic of early-onset cancer diagnoses.

In the News

Cancer rates are rising in younger adults. Here's what to know and steps to reduce risk

March 18, 2025

More and more young adults between the ages of 18 and 49 are being diagnosed with cancers that were thought to affect mostly older patients. That includes colon cancer. The rise in colorectal cancer cases among young people was the first troubling trend scientists took note of. While many have chalked it up to poor eating and sedentary lifestyles, that may not be the whole story. "It is our job as experts in this field to really interrogate each person and figure out what is driving this change, especially this type of really epidemic type change in our younger folks," said City of Hope's Edward Kim, M.D., M.B.A.

Rise in aggressive forms of cancer in younger adults prompts researchers to do a deeper dive

March 18, 2025

With every passing year, aggressive forms of cancer are occurring in more and more younger adults, striking in the prime of their lives. We'll be taking a closer look at the "Changing Face of Cancer," a series where we examine the big picture and the difficult cards young adults are dealt. "For some reason, younger people in our society are getting cancer," said City of Hope's Edward S. Kim, M.D., M.B.A. "Particularly, breast cancer is one of the things we're seeing a lot of," added Amanda Schwer, M.D., also of City of Hope. One of those patients is Mission Viejo resident Juliette Landgrave, who was diagnosed before her 38th birthday and treated at City of Hope.

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