Why cancer in young adults is rising and why their needs are different

Cancer has long been seen as a disease of ageing. Yet across Singapore and worldwide, more people in their 20s, 30s and early 40s are being diagnosed.

This shift is reshaping oncology and raising urgent questions about why younger adults are developing cancer – and how best to care for them.

While researchers are still working to understand the causes, one thing is already clear: cancer affects younger adults very differently from older patients, prompting the emergence of adolescent and young adult oncology – a growing field dedicated to their unique medical and life-stage needs.