[Correspondence] Young adults: a unique group in cancer epidemiological research

We read with great interest the results of the population-based study by Miranda Fidler and colleagues,1 quantifying the global cancer burden among young adults. The authors show that cancer incidence and mortality among 20 –39 year-olds differs from that of younger and older age groups. They also illustrate the heterogeneity of cancer types in young adults when stratified by age, sex, national development level, and geographical region. However, on the basis of the 10th revision of the International Classification o f Diseases (ICD-10), the authors describe the cancer burden of the 27 major cancer types in adults, resulting in an over-representation of tumours common among older adults (eg, prostate cancer) and under-representation of paediatric tumours and cancers that are typical in young adults.
Source: The Lancet Oncology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Correspondence Source Type: research