Shanghai's Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center recently set a "new record" by admitting a 14-year-old patient with advanced gastric cancer, the youngest of its kind to date. Shortly after, another news story emerged: a man in Shenyang developed esophageal cancer due to an excessive obsession with hot pot...
Are these cancers really so closely related to diet?
Upon hearing this news, Bu Zhaode, an associate chief physician at the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery I at Beijing Cancer Hospital, expressed astonishment but also emphasized that the patient's case is an "individual instance" and that there is no need for excessive alarm. However, the trend of gastric cancer "occurring at a younger age" has indeed become increasingly obvious in recent years, with no shortage of patients in their 30s being diagnosed with the disease.
Not only is gastric cancer occurring at a younger age, but it is not uncommon for patients in their 20s to be diagnosed with breast cancer or for those in their 30s to be diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Even for prostate cancer, which is more common in middle-aged and elderly individuals, experts recommend that screening begin at age 40.
In the eyes of oncologists, the trend of cancer "occurring at a younger age" is not only related to factors like genetics and precancerous lesions, but poor dietary habits are a major contributing factor.
Here, it is necessary to emphasize the "spicy" diet favored by young people: spicy crawfish, "crazy" chicken wings, spicy hot pot, and boiled fish, among other spicy foods, can damage the gastrointestinal mucosa, causing it to lose its original defensive function and giving cancer cells an opportunity to take advantage. Especially some young people not only enjoy "extreme spiciness" but have also developed a habit of craving spicy food, finding meals unappetizing without chili or chili sauce.
Therefore, young people are advised not to wait until a cancer diagnosis to reflect on their poor dietary habits, as a momentary craving for delicious food may have already sown the seeds of cancerous changes. Once again, it is necessary to reiterate the recommendations of the World Cancer Research Fund: avoid eating pickled, spicy, smoked, and fried foods; do not eat too quickly or while food is too hot; do not drink strong alcohol or smoke; and eat more fresh vegetables and fruits rich in fiber.