Cancer in 20 year olds is rare, but not as rare as many people think. According to the American Cancer Society, cancer is the leading cause of death for people aged 20 to 39 in the United States. In 2018, an estimated 11,360 20 year olds in the United States were diagnosed with cancer, and 1,970 died from the disease.
That said, the overall risk of being diagnosed with cancer as a 20 year old is still relatively low. In 2018, the age-adjusted cancer incidence rate for 20 year olds was just 16.1 per 100,000—which is lower than the overall cancer incidence rate of 442.5 per 100,000 for all ages in the United States that same year.
The most common types of cancer diagnosed in 20 year olds are melanoma, lymphoma, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer and leukemia. In 2018, the age-adjusted incidence rates for these cancers were 1.9, 1.3, 0.8, 0.7 and 0.4 per 100,000, respectively.
In addition, the risk of cancer in 20 year olds is heavily impacted by lifestyle factors, such as smoking, drinking, diet, and exercise. For example, smoking has been linked to an increased risk of several types of cancer, including lung cancer and bladder cancer, while regular exercise has been linked to a decreased risk of certain types of cancer, such as colon cancer.
Overall, while cancer is not as rare in 20 year olds as many people think, the overall risk of being diagnosed with the disease is still relatively low. That said, lifestyle choices can play an important role in reducing the risk of cancer in this age group.