Today, Explained – "When Young Adults Get Cancer"

Date: October 13, 2025
Hosts: Sean Rameswaram, Noel King
Producer/Reporter: Victoria Chamberlain
Guests: Dylan Scott (Vox health reporter), Kate Zickel (cancer survivor)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the troubling rise of cancer diagnoses among younger adults. Through a blend of firsthand stories and expert analysis, it addresses how this wave is changing lives, explores the possible reasons behind these trends, and examines both the progress and persistent challenges in cancer detection and treatment for people under 50.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Young Adults and the New Reality of Cancer

• Opening Theme ([00:01]):
  The hosts connect recent diagnoses of public figures like James Van Der Beek, Dwyane Wade, and Kate Middleton to a larger pattern: "Younger and younger people are getting cancer more and more. That's facts."
• Move to Virtual Support ([00:28]):
  Pandemic led to cancer support groups transitioning from in-person gatherings to Zoom, increasing reach and accessibility for immune-compromised individuals.

2. Millennial-Specific Challenges

• Unique Life Disruptions ([03:25]):
  Young adults with cancer face challenges very different from older patients—raising young children, starting careers, and dating.
  • “My son was 18 months when I was diagnosed. Obviously, like, I need to work in order to keep my child in daycare because I'm not able to physically take care of him…” ([03:33], Group participant)
  • “The day that I went to get a biopsy, my promotion was announced at work. The day after, I got a call saying, you have breast cancer.” ([04:30], Group participant)
• Dating and Relationships Complicated ([04:35]):
  • “When I show up, I have to both be physically naked and emotionally naked.” ([04:50], Group participant)

3. The Shocking Shift: Data and Perspectives

• Frustration Over Age Perception ([05:22]):
  • “One of the most frustrating comments… is, ‘Oh, you're so young.’ Cancer does not care. Cancer does not care what age you are.” ([05:22], Group participant)
• Data That Back Up the Trend ([06:32]):
  Dylan Scott confirms it’s real: “Younger people...are in fact getting cancer more often…one in five new colorectal cancer patients in the US is under 55, which is twice the rate that we saw in 1995.”
• Timeline of Rising Rates ([07:41]):
  • Cancers among young people have been rising slowly over decades, but clinicians noticed a pronounced uptick starting about a decade ago.

4. Which Cancers, and Why?

• Colorectal and Digestive Tract Cancers Prominent ([08:41]):
  Big increases not just in colorectal, but also uterine, kidney, gallbladder, and breast cancers among young adults.
  • “It seems to be sort of up and down the digestive tract where this seems to be happening…that's where we're seeing in particular, these big increases over time among young people.” (Dylan Scott, [09:28])
• Birth Year as a Risk Factor ([10:10]):
  Millennials at much higher risk than Baby Boomers.
  • “Somebody who was born in 1975 had nearly twice the chance of developing an intestinal cancer compared to somebody who was born in 1955.” (Dylan Scott, [10:13])
• Hypothesized Causes ([10:28]):
  • Growing rates may be linked to changes in diet (more processed foods, sugar, less fiber)
  • Environmental factors: obesity, microplastics, lack of exercise, alcohol, poor sleep.
  • “It's an alchemy of all these things…you have more young people developing cancer.” (Dylan Scott, [12:28])

5. Is There Any Hope?

• New Research Adds Nuance ([14:43]):
  While incidence is rising, deaths are not for most cancer types (exception: colorectal).
  • “Maybe a lot of what's happening here is that we're just getting better at detecting cancer…even little cancers that may not ultimately develop into a serious illness.” (Dylan Scott, [15:18])
• Better Diagnostics and Treatments ([15:50]):
  • Advances in blood tests, immunotherapies, and genetic sequencing have improved care options and outcomes.
  • “As scary as all of these trends are…we are getting really good at catching cancer early and treating it when we find it.” (Dylan Scott, [16:57])

6. Survivor Story: Kate Zickel

• Living Example of Progress ([17:55]):
  Kate Zickel credits new immunotherapies for her long-term survival.
  • “Were it not for the advances in medical technology that have happened just in the last five to 10 years, I may not be here.” (Kate Zickel, [18:16])
• Her Experience ([18:36]):
  • Diagnosed in 2017 at age 29.
  • Cancer returned as metastatic at age 33—now managed as a chronic illness.
  • “You can actually live a pretty long time with metastatic breast cancer, depending on where it is in your body and how quickly it grows.” ([19:16])
  • No family history: “No indications that that would be a thing in my life.” ([19:42])
• Young People and Screening ([19:40]):
  • Mammograms, traditionally recommended at age 40 or 50, are being reconsidered as rates rise in younger women.
• Perceptions vs. Reality ([20:48]):
  • Cancer patients “look normal” even while undergoing ongoing, often painful treatment.
  • “Just because we look great doesn’t mean that we are.” (Kate Zickel, [21:13])
• Advice for Others ([21:45]):
  • “Don’t freak out until a medical professional tells you to freak out.” ([21:45])
  • Trust your body, ask questions, pursue second and third opinions, and seek genetic testing if needed.
  • “Take the time out of work to go to those appointments…do your own homework…we are so lucky to live in a time where [medical progress] is true.” (Kate Zickel, [22:14])
• The Vital Need for Clinical Trials ([23:43]):
  • “Without these trials, people will die…you are taking away years that we could have with our children, years that we could spend with our parents…you need to answer for that. You need to be held accountable to the people whose lives you are hurting.” (Kate Zickel, [24:58])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Cancer does not care what age you are. It does not care what your life was like, what dreams you had, what hopes, what things you were about to do. It just comes in and it interrupts and it just intersects.” – Support group participant ([05:22])
• “Colorectal cancer… if you look at the incident rates in some of these studies, besides breast cancer, it is the type of cancer that has the highest incidence among young adults.” – Dylan Scott ([08:41])
• “The goal here is to beat the clock…as a survivor now who’s on treatment, my goal is to make the current treatment I’m on last as long as possible so that the next treatment …will be available…as long as we’re able to keep pace with that, the longer we live.” – Kate Zickel ([22:44])
• “Without these trials, people will die…By taking that away from us, you’re killing. You’re literally killing us.” – Kate Zickel ([24:08])

Key Timestamps

• 00:01 – 00:52: Introduction and framing: Young adults and the rising cancer trend.
• 02:16 – 03:33: Virtual support group experiences, unique millennial challenges.
• 03:33 – 05:22: Firsthand accounts of parenting, career, and dating during cancer.
• 06:32 – 10:28: Dylan Scott explains the data behind rising rates and types of cancers.
• 12:28 – 12:48: Environmental and lifestyle factors in cancer risk.
• 14:43 – 16:57: Reasons for hope: better detection and treatment.
• 17:55 – 24:58: Kate Zickel’s survivor story, advice, and impassioned call for continued research funding.

Tone and Language

The episode blends frankness about the anxiety, disruption, and ongoing mysteries of cancer with optimism about medical advances and survivor resilience. Guests speak with emotional honesty, using clear, personal, and urgent language—often directly addressing listeners' fears and hopes.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode is essential listening for anyone curious or worried about cancer trends among younger adults. It’s packed with personal experiences, data-driven insights, and practical advice, delivering the sober reality of these shifting health risks but also offering grounded, scientifically informed hope for those diagnosed today—and tomorrow.