According to the Buenos Aires Economic News Network in Argentina on February 5, cancer is a disease that can occur at any age, but the incidence is especially high among the elderly. According to the National Cancer Institute, statistics show that advanced age is the most important risk factor for cancer as a whole, as well as for many specific types of cancer.
The incidence of cancer, that is, new cases, increases with age, from less than 25 cases per 100,000 people under the age of 20 to more than 1,000 cases per 100,000 people over the age of 60, the official body said.
One of the most recent and well-known cases of cancer in the elderly is King Charles III, 75. After he was diagnosed with cancer, he started a routine** program, but the type of cancer he had has has not been reported, at least so far. Buckingham Palace announced that the king would postpone public events but would continue to conduct state affairs as usual.
On January 26, King Charles underwent surgery for benign prostatic hypertrophy, and it was during the operation that cancer was discovered, but not prostate cancer, according to the British **.
Both men and women are more likely to develop cancer with age. There are also some types of the disease that are more common in men, including lung, colorectal, stomach, liver, and prostate cancers.
Regarding the period of life when the disease is most likely to occur, the National Cancer Institute emphasizes that "advanced age is the most important risk factor for cancer overall and for many specific types of cancer." The incidence of cancer (new cases) increases with age. If calculated as cases per 100,000 people: less than 25 cases as of 20 years old; Between 45 and 49 years old, there were about 350 cases; Over 60 years old, more than 1,000 cases.
The data released by Spain also shows a similar trend. The country's cancer data for 2024 suggests that one of the biggest risk factors is the age of 45 to over 50 years.
Diego Kahn, president of the Argentine Society of Clinical Oncology, told Ben that as people age, "cells age, and the likelihood of cells not behaving properly increases, that is, people are more likely to develop cancer." The risk of developing cancer is directly proportional to age".
For her part, oncologist Dr. Valeria Cáceres said: "Obviously, with age, the risk of developing tumors increases, both in women and men. ”
The reason, she explains, is that "all cells are exposed to changes in genetic material day in and day out, and as we age, their repair mechanisms change." That is, all of us have repair mechanisms that target the genetic material of the cells, but these repair mechanisms weaken or gradually change with age, so these genetic alterations may cause the genetic material to become tumors-producing genes, also known as oncogenes".
From the age of 60 to 65, the risk of cancer increases considerably. Dr. Kahn said. He also said recent statistics show that "there is a peak in cancer in people under the age of 50", which was not common before.
He added that while one sex does not have a greater risk of cancer than the other, "the difference is that, for example, men are at greater risk of prostate cancer as they age, while women are at greater risk of breast, ovarian or uterine cancer as they age."
In terms of prevention, Dr. Cáceres stressed that "as men get older, there are different tests available for early screening. Colonoscopy from age 50 onwards, annual prostate-specific antigen level checks. And for women, ultrasounds, mammograms, and Pap smears" are "aimed at promoting early screening, which improves the likelihood of survival."
In this regard, Dr. Kahn stressed that "it is important to recognize that from the age of 50, early detection or screening for colon cancer must be carried out through substances hidden in the stool". If the patient is a smoker, it is also necessary to get tested because of the possibility of lung cancer. "There is no doubt, though, that the most common tumor in men is prostate cancer. There is a test for prostate cancer that is screened by prostate-specific antigen level analysis and a digital rectal examination by a urologist. Of course, if you are a woman, also have a mammogram from the age of 50. (Compiled by Su Jiawei).