For example, the median age at diagnosis is 62 years for breast cancer, 67 years for colorectal cancer, 71 years for lung cancer, and 66 years for prostate cancer. But cancer can be diagnosed at any age.
The most common teen and young adult cancers
The following cancers are most common in teenagers, ages 15 to 19: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Germ cell tumors, including testicular cancer and ovarian cancer. Central nervous system (CNS) tumors.
Among adolescents (ages 15 to 19 years), the most common types of cancer are brain and other CNS tumors and lymphomas, followed by leukemias, thyroid cancer, gonadal (testicular and ovarian) germ cell tumors, and malignant bone tumors (1).
More than 200,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with a brain tumor each year. Overall, the chance that a person will develop a malignant tumor of the brain or spinal cord in his or her lifetime is less than 1% (about 1 in 150 for men and 1 in 185 for women).
Cancer can develop at any age. But as we get older, most types of cancer become more common. This is because our cells can get damaged over time. This damage can then build up as we age, and can sometimes lead to cancer.
For statistical purposes, cancers in adolescents are often thought of as those that start between the ages of 15 and 19. Cancer is not common in teens, but a variety of cancer types can occur in this age group, and treating these cancers can be challenging for a number of reasons.
Among people in their 20s, the most common cancers include blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, as well as thyroid cancer and testicular cancer. For patients in their 30s, breast cancer and melanoma are more common. Diagnoses of colon and rectal cancer are increasing among young adults, too.
While a rare cancer overall, brain and CNS tumors are among the most common cancers occurring in this age group (4.4% of all cancers in those age 15-39 years as compared to 32.4% in children age 0-14 years, and 2.2% of cancers in adults age 40+ years).
Brain tumor symptoms can develop in people of all ages – including teens. In recent years, nearly 13% of all new brain cancers were diagnosed in patients under the age of 20, and another 9% were diagnosed in patients between the ages of 20 and 34.
Some types of cancer do not form a tumor. These include leukemias, most types of lymphoma, and myeloma.
Benign bone tumors occur most often in children whose skeletons are still growing and people up to age 30. These tumors are often strongly affected by the hormones that cause growth. Many benign tumors stop growing once a child's bones do. This usually is between the ages 14 to 16 in girls and 16 to 19 in boys.
Some cancers can be found early, before they have had a chance to grow and spread. This is why regular cancer screening is so important. In this section you can learn more about the screening tests that can be used to look for cancer and about American Cancer Society guidelines for using these tests.
Leukemia, lymphoma and testicular cancer are more likely to be diagnosed in a person's early 20s, with breast and thyroid cancer and melanoma developing later in a person's 20s. Young men and young women are equally likely to hear the words "You have cancer" during this time of their life.
Scientists have found that for most breast and bowel cancers, the tumours begin to grow around ten years before they're detected. And for prostate cancer, tumours can be many decades old. “They've estimated that one tumour was 40 years old. Sometimes the growth can be really slow,” says Graham.
Although there are no curable cancers, melanoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, and breast, prostate, testicular, cervical, and thyroid cancer have some of the highest 5-year relative survival rates. Cancer is a disease that causes cells to grow and multiply uncontrollably in certain parts of the body.
What's a benign tumor? Benign tumors aren't cancerous and are usually not life-threatening. But like their malignant cousins, they develop when cells grow abnormally, and they may form anywhere in the body, though benign cells don't typically invade nearby tissue or spread—they're contained to the tumor.
Glioblastoma is the most lethal primary central nervous system cancer. Part of the reason the tumor is so deadly is because it is hard to treat. The tumor itself is invasive and aggressive – it develops tentacles that invade other areas.
Changes in mental function, mood or personality.
You may feel drowsy, confused and unable to think. Depression and anxiety, especially if either develops suddenly, may be an early symptom of a brain tumor. You may become uninhibited or behave in ways you never have before.
The 5-year relative survival rate for people younger than age 15 is about 75%. For people age 15 to 39, the 5-year relative survival rate nears 72%. The 5-year relative survival rate for people age 40 and older is 21%. Experts measure relative survival rate statistics for a brain tumor every 5 years.