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'These are people in the prime of life': The worrying puzzle behind the rise in early-onset cancer (www.bbc.com)

submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Over the past 10 years, rates of colorectal cancer among 25 to 49 year olds have increased in 24 different countries, including the UK, US, France, Australia, Canada, Norway and Argentina.

The investigation's early findings, presented by an international team at the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) congress in Geneva in September 2024, were as eye-catching as they are concerning.

[...]

Breast cancer is one form of cancer where the trend is apparent. A new report from the ACS found that while deaths from breast cancer in women have dropped by around 10% in the past decade, incidence rates are rising by 1% per year overall – and 1.4% per year for women under the age of 50.

[...]

Cancer specialists say that patients presenting with diseases like pancreatic cancer, an illness where most people are diagnosed in their early 70s, are sometimes decades younger than would usually be expected.

[...]

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

I just watched a fun video today about a class action lawsuit happening against the company that sells Zantac, the most widely used acid reflux medicine in the world.

Turns out, Ranitadine, an active ingredient that can cause NDMA's (a cancerous toxin to humans) is used in Zantac. Supposedly, it was only under the range approved by the FDA, at about 18 nanograms.

Well, kept at a temperature of just 77F over 12 days, that number doubles to 25 nanograms, and at 158F up to 142ng.

Your safe medicine is left out in the sun or in your car, it can produce extremely high levels of NDMA's making it no longer safe and now a very high cancer risk if taken.

So alongside everything mentioned, there's also lovely stuff like this happening to us. And I'm sure companies that make Zantac were greatly benefitted by the pollution restrictions that were removed throughout 2016, further harming all of us in the process.

So, that's great.

Edit: so

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I used to take zantac daily from age 13 to 18 and then maybe once a month or so until 28.

I recently did a screening for colon cancer (it was surprisingly easy. They just ask you to scrape a super small sample of poop into a test tube) and it came back clear. But damn. Not looking forward to what kind of digestive tract cancer I might get in the future.

That being said, who the heck knows. My grandmother was a heavy smoker from age 12 and she lived to 80 something so maybe I'll get lucky lol

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

One last thought, theoretically is Zantac itself was safe, despite it having the ranitidine. It was specifically Zantac that was left exposed to heat or sunlight, So barring any shipping boxes being left out baking in the sun, your own usage of it may have been within a safe range.

However if you lived in a warm area and maybe kept it with you on your person or in the backpack that was often left outside, you may want to actually look into this class action lawsuit for yourself, if there is one still.

Also I checked and it was 10 total types from the studies. Bladder cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, colon cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer with a diagnosis under the age of 69, lung cancer (never smokers only), and breast cancer.

Finally for what it's worth, while the correlation is higher, so remember that it is the most sold one in the world, and the total suspected cases are under 100,000. So it is a relatively small percentage, enough to be worth knowing and monitoring, but not something to have looming over you!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Thank you for the additional information that's super thoughtful of you!

For some time, I did have a bottle of Zantac that was left in an area that did get sunlight. It's hard to say what kind of risk I'll have to be honest. I don't even know how someone would tell if there was a negative consequence from it, but like you said, the odds are still probably within my favor. I mean, as long as I don't get some kind of cancer before, I'm 80 or 90. I'll be happy, haha. I figure there's no point in worrying over something that might never be, but once in a blue moon, I get that tinge of worry.

I'll have to look into seeing if there's any class action I can participate in. I'm in Canada, so I'm assuming my milage may vary. It's been a year or more now, too. I'm not sure if they've already finished with those lawsuits by now, but I suppose it can't hurt to check!

Anyways, thank you again. I really do appreciate you taking the time to send me all that information. That was super kind of you!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Absolutely :) I always appreciate seeing your comments around so hey if you can get a little peace of mind, or money, then I'd rather you have that!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

If I recall correctly it was predominantly stomach cancers. That said, check that for certain because I learned about a couple things related to this, so it is possible I'm mixing it up.

I'm glad your preliminary screening was looking good at least!