According to one study, 74% of 15-18 year-olds are concerned about cancer, about half of which is for themselves.
Young people are very concerned about cancer. According to an Opinionway study, 74% of teenagers "feared" this type of disease. Among them, 48% worry about themselves and 29% for their friends, proof that they do not see cancer as a concern of adults. A justified fear, which encourages the development of prevention. Decryption.
The second leading cause of death among children
At first glance, the figures of this survey may seem surprising. Indeed, in France, the median age of onset of cancer is around 69 years. Of the 385,000 cases detected each year, "only" 2,550 are detected in minors (1,750 in children, 800 in adolescents). "The survival of children and adolescents with these cancers has improved significantly in recent decades and now exceeds 80%," said the National Cancer Institute.
However, the subject is not to be taken lightly. Among French young people aged one to fourteen, cancer is the second leading cause of death in domestic accidents. This is the third cause in the 15-18 age group, behind accidents and suicides. For the youngest, leukemias (28% of cases), central nervous system (CNS) tumors (25%) and lymphomas (11%) are the most widespread (nearly half of these cancers occur before Age of 5 years).
Behavior that can affect the whole life
However, the most frequent cancers among young people are still largely unknown, and it is difficult to implement a precautionary preventive campaign against leukemia, brain tumors and lymphomas.
On the other hand, children and their parents can behave from a very young age and may be able to save them later. Indeed, 40% of cancers are preventable, according to the League against Cancer. Tobacco, the leading cause of lung cancer, the most devastating cancer in France, is consumed by 40% of the under-25s, for example. According to a recent study by the Scientific Institute of Public Health (ISP), a smoker would live on average eight years less than a non-smoker. The earlier you stop to stop - or at least decrease - the lower the risk of cancer (according to an older English study, a cigarette would decrease life expectancy by 11 minutes).
Young people can also largely cure their diet: junk food is strongly suspected of being responsible for colorectal cancer, the second most deadly cancer in France. According to INSERM, nearly 40% of adolescents say they do not pay attention to their diet. And according to another study by the mutual Smerep, 90% of high school students and students would adhere to "snacking" between meals. According to the OpinionWay survey, only 67% of teenagers would see poor diet as a potential cause of cancer, compared with 94% for tobacco and alcohol. And 53% feel that they are not well informed, proof that much more needs to be done in terms of prevention.
Image: AFP
Source: europe1
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