Appendix Cancer Rates Quadruple Among Older Millennials, Signs Often Missed

Doctors often miss the signs, and most patients aren’t diagnosed until the cancer has spread. Now, rates are rising in younger adults.
Appendix Cancer Rates Quadruple Among Older Millennials, Signs Often Missed
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When “X-Men” actor Adan Canto died at just 42 from a tumor in his appendix, it cast a spotlight on a cancer so rare that many physicians have never encountered it.

His death in January 2024 drew attention to a troubling trend that researchers are only beginning to understand: Rates of appendiceal cancer are rising sharply among Gen X and millennials.

Cara Michelle Miller
Cara Michelle Miller
Author
Cara Michelle Miller is a freelance writer and holistic health educator. She taught at the Pacific College of Health and Science in NYC for 12 years and led communication seminars for engineering students at The Cooper Union. She now writes articles with a focus on integrative care and holistic modalities.