Those born within 30-year window are at the highest risk of cancer… is YOUR birthday in the danger zone?

A large study finds that younger generations are at greater risk of more than a dozen types of cancer than previous generations.

An analysis of tens of millions of diagnoses found that millennials (born 1986-1995) and Generation X (1965-1985) were more likely to develop 17 types of cancer than the post-World War II baby boomer generation.

These 17 also include the most deadly forms of cancer, such as colon cancer, pancreatic cancer and liver cancer.

Obesity and heavy drinking are thought to be partly to blame for the crisis, although experts are still not entirely sure what else is behind the increase.

The rise in new generations threatens to undo decades of progress in the fight against the disease. Diagnoses are expected to nearly double from 2020 to 2050, and there are signs that mortality rates are beginning to level off.

Experts say the rising cancer burden will prevent cancer patients from contributing to the U.S. economy, increasing unemployment, slowing growth and skyrocketing health care costs.

This could create a vicious circle in which poorer health leads to economic hardship, which in turn contributes to even poorer health through lack of access to treatments.

Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, lead author of the study and senior vice president of surveillance and health equity at the American Cancer Society, said, “The increase in cancer rates among this younger group of people is indicative of generational shifts in cancer risk and often serves as an early indicator of the future cancer burden in the country.”

‘Without effective population-level interventions, and because the increased risk in younger generations persists in older people, we could see an overall increase in cancer burden in the future, halting or reversing decades of progress in the fight against the disease.’

“The data highlight the urgent need to identify and address underlying risk factors in Gen X and millennials so that prevention strategies can be developed,” he added.

Researchers at the ACS analyzed data from more than 23 million patients diagnosed with 34 types of cancer over a 20-year period. Patients ranged in age from 25 to 84.

The patients were then divided into cohorts based on their year of birth, from 1920 to 1990.

Gen X and Millennials were up to three times more likely than Boomers to develop various types of cancer, including colorectal cancer, which is rapidly increasing in adults under 50.

While cancer rates among older people declined, incidence among younger patients increased for nine types of cancer, including breast, uterine, colorectal, ovarian and testicular.

This finding is consistent with other national data warning of an increase in cancer among young adults.

While some of the increase can be attributed to increased testing and patients being better able to recognize the disease, the new research shows that increasing lifestyle factors such as obesity and alcohol consumption may be partly to blame.

The researchers said that among adults aged 25 to 49, the “fastest increases in incidence rates” were seen in cancers of the pancreas, small intestine, kidney and pelvis, all of which are linked to obesity and alcohol.

Death rates from liver, uterine, gallbladder, testicular and colorectal cancers also increased among younger patients.

Dr Hyuna Sung, lead author of the study and senior principal scientist in the division of surveillance and health equity at the American Cancer Society, said: ‘These findings add to the growing evidence of increased cancer risk in generations after the baby boomer generation. They build on previous findings on early-onset colorectal cancer and some cancers associated with obesity to include a broader range of cancer types.’

‘Birth cohorts, groups of people classified by year of birth, share unique social, economic, political, and climatic circumstances that influence their exposure to cancer risk factors during their critical developmental years.’

‘Although we have identified cancer trends associated with birth years, we do not yet have a clear explanation for the increase in these rates.’

Although the team did not find a direct cause for this increase, they suspected that obesity could be an important driver of colorectal, uterine, gallbladder, kidney and pancreatic cancers.

For example, CDC data released last year showed that 40 percent of Americans are now obese, meaning they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. And 30 U.S. states saw increases in obesity from the previous year.

Additionally, the team noted that increased binge drinking could be a driver of liver cancer, which is largely caused by alcoholism.

According to the most recent data from the CDC, the number of adults who report binge drinking increased by 12 percent between 2011 and 2017.

Although the study covered a wide range of cases, it had some limitations, including missing data from cancer registries and misidentification of some cancers.

The findings were published Wednesday in The Lancet Public Health.