• Weil Nutrition Corner
  • Meet Dr. Weil
  • Origins
  • Healthy Aging
  • Marketplace
  • Podcasts
  • Accessibility
  • Subscribe
Dr. Weil Logo Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
  • Health & Wellness
    Health & Wellness
    Body, Mind & Spirit
    • Addiction
    • Allergy & Asthma
    • Autoimmune Disorders
    • Back Pain
    • Bone & Joint
    • Cancer
    • Colds & Flu
    • Dental & Oral
    • Diabetes
    • Disease & Disorders
    • Ears, Nose, & Throat
    • Feet
    • Gastrointestinal
    • Hair, Skin, & Nails
    • Headache
    • Heart
    • Insects & Parasites
    • Liver & Kidney
    • Mental Health
    • Pregnancy & Fertility
    • Respiratory
    • Sexual Health
    • Sleep Issues
    • Stress & Anxiety
    • Vision
    Balanced Living
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Gardening
    • Healthy Home
    • Healthy Living
    • Meditation & Inspiration
    • Meet Dr. Weil
    • Pets & Pet Care
    • Technology
    • Wellness Therapies
    Health Centers
    • Aging Gracefully
    • Children
    • Condition Care Guide
    • Men
    • Women
  • Diet & Nutrition
    Diet & Nutrition
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid
    Cooking & Cookware
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Food Safety
    Nutrition
    Recipes
  • Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Herbs
    Supplements & Remedies
    Vitamins
  • Ask Dr. Weil
  • Blogs
    Blogs
    Bulletins
    Health Tips
    Spontaneous Happiness
  • Mushrooms
  • Sleep
Press "Enter" to search
Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
  • Health & Wellness
    Health & Wellness
    Body, Mind & Spirit
    • Addiction
    • Allergy & Asthma
    • Autoimmune Disorders
    • Back Pain
    • Bone & Joint
    • Cancer
    • Colds & Flu
    • Dental & Oral
    • Diabetes
    • Disease & Disorders
    • Ears, Nose, & Throat
    • Feet
    • Gastrointestinal
    • Hair, Skin, & Nails
    • Headache
    • Heart
    • Insects & Parasites
    • Liver & Kidney
    • Mental Health
    • Pregnancy & Fertility
    • Respiratory
    • Sexual Health
    • Sleep Issues
    • Stress & Anxiety
    • Vision
    Balanced Living
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Gardening
    • Healthy Home
    • Healthy Living
    • Meditation & Inspiration
    • Meet Dr. Weil
    • Pets & Pet Care
    • Technology
    • Wellness Therapies
    Health Centers
    • Aging Gracefully
    • Children
    • Condition Care Guide
    • Men
    • Women
  • Diet & Nutrition
    Diet & Nutrition
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid
    Cooking & Cookware
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Food Safety
    Nutrition
    Recipes
  • Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Herbs
    Supplements & Remedies
    Vitamins
  • Ask Dr. Weil
  • Blogs
    Blogs
    Bulletins
    Health Tips
    Spontaneous Happiness
  • Mushrooms
  • Sleep
  • Weil Nutrition Corner
  • Meet Dr. Weil
  • Origins
  • Healthy Aging
  • Marketplace
  • Podcasts
  • Accessibility
  1. Home
  2. Health & Wellness
  3. Body, Mind & Spirit
  4. Cancer

Too Young for Cancer?

My friend’s 30-year-old son was just diagnosed with colon cancer. There’s no family history and no clue why such a young man developed cancer. Do you have any insights that may be helpful?

Andrew Weil, M.D. | April 10, 2007

Too Young for Cancer?
2 min

Unfortunately, cancer rates are increasing in people between the ages of 20 and 39. The other bad news is that the survival rate for this group – while significantly better than the rate among older people – hasn’t improved substantially. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2006 there were 55,200 new cancer cases and 9,300 cancer deaths among younger adults, ages 15 to 39. On the brighter side, while the five-year survival rate hasn’t risen, it’s pretty good. Overall, 78.5 percent of cancer patients ages 20 to 39 remain alive five years after diagnosis, compared to 68 percent among adults between the ages of 40 and 69.

The types of cancer that seem to be increasing in young people are colorectal, thyroid, and testicular. Cancer is now the fourth leading cause of death in this age range, behind accidents, suicides and homicides. We don’t yet know why rates of the disease are rising in the young. Also unfortunate is the fact that cancers typically are diagnosed at more advanced stages in younger patients, for two reasons: (1) the disease is so uncommon in this age group that doctors don’t expect to see it and, therefore, may miss it and (2) young people aren’t screened for cancer as older people are. One of the reasons why survival rates in young cancer patients haven’t improved much may be the fact that these patients rarely participate in clinical trials. A 2005 study from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston found that the 15-45 year age group is one of the least studied and also the least likely to be treated at large health care institutions that offer clinical trials. Participation in cancer clinical trials has been shown to improve survival, the authors noted, adding that one of the benefits to patients is the increased knowledge of tumor biology that derives from these trials.

You might also be interested to know that young people consider connecting with other cancer patients of the same age more important than support from family and friends. This finding came from a study from the University of Southern California School of Social Work. Researchers surveyed young cancer patients, oncologists, psychologists, nurses and social workers for the study. For young people the burden of cancer can complicate other aspects of life – getting started in a career, marriage, starting a family, issues that they may feel most comfortable discussing with their peers. You might suggest that your friend’s son investigate Internet sites for young people with cancer to connect with others in his age group who are living with the disease. Two that I recommend are: www.imtooyoungforthis.org and www.stepsforliving.org

Andrew Weil, M.D.

Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging

Start Your 14-Day Free Trial

Free Newsletters

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Follow Dr. Weil’s Food Pyramid

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Exclusive Lifestyle, Nutrition & Health Advice

Dr. Weil's FREE health living advice delivered to you!

By clicking "Subscribe," you agree to the DrWeil.com Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive emails from DrWeil.com, and you may opt out of DrWeil.com subscriptions at any time.

Trending Now

3-d mammograms
Cancer

3-D Mammograms?

a better test for breast cancer
Cancer

A Better Test For Breast Cancer?

HDL Cholesterol & LDL Cholesterol: What They Mean | Heart Health | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Cancer

A Blood Test for Breast Cancer?

a test for ovarian cancer
Cancer

A Test for Ovarian Cancer?

Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
Dr. Weil's Signature

Exclusive Lifestyle, Nutrition & Health Advice

  • About Us
  • Press Information
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment. Any third party offering or advertising on this website does not constitute an endorsement by Andrew Weil, M.D. or Healthy Lifestyle Brands.

© Copyright 2025 Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. www.drweil.com