San José, octubre de 2024. San José, October 2024. A study conducted by the Costa Rican Agency for Biomedical Research (ACIB-FUNIN), in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute of the United States, analyzed in detail the incidence and mortality from cancer in the country, in young adult women and men, between the ages of 20 and 39.

Dr. Loretto Carvajal, a researcher at ACIB-FUNIN, led an exhaustive analysis of the 20 most common cancers in young adults in Costa Rica, covering the years from 2006 to 2015 for incidence, and from 2000 to 2021 for mortality. The research provides a detailed understanding of how this disease affects young adults differently. Additionally, the research analyzed the behavior of different types of cancer over the time.

Using data from the National Tumor Registry of the Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Statistics and Census of Costa Rica, the research determined that the incidence (number of new cases) of cancer in women was double in comparison with men; a difference that is even more pronounced in the age group of 35 to 39 years.

According to the study, thyroid, cervical and breast cancer were the most common cancers in women, with the latter two, followed by stomach cancer, being the tumors with the highest mortality for this group of the population. Although thyroid cancer was the most diagnosed cancer among young women, its mortality rate is very low, ranking 20th in terms of mortality, with 19 deaths recorded.

In the case of men, testicular cancer was the most frequent, while stomach and brain cancer were the main causes of death from cancer.

The analysis showed that, in this age group, the overall incidence of cancer remained stable between 2006 and 2015, except in young women, in whom the incidence of thyroid cancer increased significantly by 6.2% annually. According to the researchers, the observed increase is probably due to the use of more sensitive diagnostic methods.

“Although this group represents only 10% of cancer cases, the findings of our study raise the need for public health policies from an early age, especially preventive interventions such as vaccination against the human papillomavirus in girls and boys, good nutrition, physical activity, and breastfeeding, which not only reduce the risk of breast cancer in women, but also help prevent excess weight in childhood. In addition, it is crucial to promote non-consumption of tobacco and alcohol, as well as prompt attention to symptoms in health services,” explains Dr. Loretto Carvajal, researcher at ACIB-FUNIN.

“Historically, public health efforts regarding cancer care have focused primarily on cancer in older adults, which has led to a lack of awareness and attention among young people regarding the symptoms and signs of the disease. As a result, diagnoses in this age group are often late, aggravated by the frequent misattribution of symptoms to other conditions, both by young people themselves and by health professionals, which makes effective treatment even more difficult in advanced stages,” adds the doctor.

According to the experts, the study also underlines the importance of cancer prevention in young men, especially testicular cancer, which was the most common cancer in this group. It is essential that health policies include campaigns to make young men be aware of the importance of self-examination of the testicles and of seeking medical attention for any suspicious symptoms.
In addition, they point out the importance of implementing effective measures for prevention, early detection and treatment of stomach cancer, which is the most fatal cancer in men and the third most common in women.
“The study reinforces the importance of epidemiological research to identify risk groups, generate hypotheses about the causes of diseases and adapt public health interventions to different population groups. Prevention through vaccination against hepatitis B and human papillomavirus, healthy lifestyles and participation in screening programs according to institutional guidelines are the main tools against these diseases. The Latin American Code against Cancer is a very useful resource to remind us what people can do to avoid developing cancer: https://cancer-code-lac.iarc.who.int/”, explains Dr. Rolando Herrero, scientific director of ACIB-FUNIN.
This research, entitled “A surveillance study of cancer incidence and mortality among young adults in Costa Rica,” is published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, volume 38.