CLEVELAND — The American Cancer Society reports fewer people are dying from cancer, but more people under the age of 65 are being diagnosed, and that trend is expected to worsen.
When Sylvia Munodawafa was 38 years old, she got a report she never expected.
“I found or felt a lump and went in to get it checked out. After some testing, it was found to be breast cancer. It was stage three at the time,” said Munodawafa.
The news came as a shock, given that she had no history of cancer in her family.
“It pretty much like hit me like a ton of bricks. It came out of nowhere, I wasn't sick, I am generally a healthy person,” said Munodawafa.
Dr. Suneel Kamath, a GI oncologist at Cleveland Clinic, said they are seeing stories similar to hers more than they have in the past.
“We're seeing for the first time a tremendous, unfortunately a high increase in the number of cases of cancer in the United States. It’s expected to go across two million for the first time,” Kamath said.
According to the American Cancer Society, overall cancer deaths are on the decline due to fewer smokers, early detection, and advancements in treatment, but they are seeing an increase in cancer in middle-aged individuals.
The most common cancers include breast, prostate, endometrial, pancreatic, kidney and melanoma.
“We are still seeing some spikes and other cancers in younger people. Definitely, I think colorectal cancer is one we're seeing a lot of younger people,” Kamath continued. “This report talked about cervical cancer cases are going up and women ages 30 through 44.”
According to the report, one of the main risk factors for developing any of the common cancers is excess body weight and family history, which is commonly overlooked.
“If they know that history and can inform their doctors about it, certainly, and I think that might make them eligible or required to get, you know, more screening at an earlier age,” Kamath said.
Kamath added there are also early ways to screen.
“The Cologuard tests and there are these others are still hard to test for colorectal cancer screening, totally noninvasive,” Kamath continued. “There are these liquid biopsy-based tests that are in development, that they can just draw, you know, a blood specimen. Basically, and they're looking for signatures of tumor DNA, basically in the blood.”
For Munodawafa, after her diagnosis, it was her daughter who gave her strength as she went through chemo, radiation, and surgery.
“It's very emotional. It's very hard, but you know, it, getting through it made it that much sweeter,” said Munodawafa.
Now, here she sits 5 years later, cancer-free.
“I'm on bonus time ,so you can never get mad at bonus time,” said Munodawafa.
And she reminds everyone to never take their health for granted.
“Definitely always get tested, definitely, self-exams, never ignore anything your body knows best. Always listen to it,” said Munodawafa.
Doctors said you can prevent your risk of cancer by eating healthy, exercising, and avoiding alcohol and smoking. Most importantly, staying on top of doctor visits.
