11 cancers are on the rise in young people as scientists work out first clue why

A major study has revealed that 11 cancers are on the rise in people in their late teens, 20s, 30s and 40s in England.

While researchers aren't entirely sure why, new analysis from the Institute of Cancer Research and Imperial College London suggests that being overweight could be just one of many contributing factors.

For years, scientists have struggled to explain why cancer diagnoses among younger adults appear to be rising because most cases cannot be explained.

To investigate possible causes, researchers compared cancer trends with changes in lifestyle habits known to affect cancer risk.

However, many common risk factors do not appear to explain the increase.

Smoking rates have fallen, alcohol consumption has generally declined, and levels of physical activity have improved or stayed stable.

11 cancers are on the rise in young people in England (Getty Stock Images)

Diet-related risks such as eating processed meat or low-fibre foods also did not match the trend.

The only factor that closely aligned with rising cancer rates was the increase in overweight and obesity since the 1990s.

Scientists believe excess body fat can affect hormones such as insulin, which may increase the risk of certain cancers.

Even so, obesity alone does not explain the full picture.

More research is needed to identify other possible causes, while factors such as ultra-processed foods, environmental chemicals, antibiotic use, air pollution and changes in gut bacteria are still being looked at.

The cancers showing increasing rates include bowel, thyroid, multiple myeloma, liver, kidney and pancreatic cancer, among others (Getty Stock Images)

The 11 cancers increasing in young people in England are:

· Bowel cancer

· Breast cancer

· Thyroid cancer

· Multiple myeloma

· Liver cancer

· Kidney cancer

· Gallbladder cancer

· Pancreatic cancer

· Endometrial cancer

· Mouth cancer

· Ovarian cancer

Obesity alone does not explain the full picture (Getty Stock Images)

Bowel and breast cancer are the most common in younger adults, with around 11,500 combined cases per year.

Pancreatic and gallbladder cancers are among the rarest, but their rates are still increasing.

Only bowel and ovarian cancers were increasing in young people, with the other nine increasing in older adults too.

"It is very worrisome to hear the news that cancers are increasing in young people," Prof Montserrat García Closas, from The Institute of Cancer Research, told the BBC.

"However, there are things that can be done to reduce the risk of cancer by having a healthy lifestyle - for instance, being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight."

Scientists remind us that most cases still cannot be explained and that cancer in young adults remains relatively rare compared to older age groups.