Health problems when you hit late 30s early 40s

[Mummabear04]

I had a very close friend pass away from cancer when we were just 36 but it was a rare and aggressive form of cancer and i just thought it was a very rare and tragic case.

Since then (in the space of 2 years) I know of 4 mums at my kids school that are battling cancer and then just found out a friend at work has been diagnosed with an incurable cancer. Everyone is late 30s early 40s. It just seems mad how rife it is. Is this normal at this age for this to start happening? I am quite shaken and tbh I am petrified by it all.

I read breast cancer could be linked to woman having children later in life. Something about estrogen levels being high

We know 6 families that lost a parent to cancer while the kids were still at primary school. 2 very close friends. All between 30 and 45.
I have 3 kids so know a lot of families but that still seems like a heck of a lot. I don't remember anyone losing a parent while I was at school.

Have they researched it and found no link?

I do know people in that age bracket who have / had cancer. I do understand there's a link between obesity and cancer, but of the four of them, they were all a healthy weight and two very into fitness (think marathon runners) and eating well. There are clearly other factors at play.

It’s been 40s that people started dying that I know. It’s terrifying really. I haven’t got that big a social circle now but I still now a lot of people who have died. Mainly cancer, but covid too, an accident, two suicides. It’s not the people you think who die. They are mainly fit and well.

I understand many cancers are on the rise in younger people.

Also low breastfeeding rates. When women have children later AND don’t breastfeed it increases the risk of breast cancer.

There’s been loads about the rise in cancer amongst younger people in the news (reliable news sources too). They tend to pin it on things like microplastics in the air / products we use, processed foods, pollution etc. It’s been increasing for years - before covid. It’s interesting that it does always seem to be those who exercise and drink and eat well. Makes you feel like it’s all a lottery and just going out and having a McDonald’s…! (I’m laughing instead of crying, I have known so many people who have died from cancer, including all my immediate family who have died from bowel cancer but keep being told because they all died over 70 there’s no generic link)!

I'm very pragmatic about illness and death.

No one is inmortal and we're all.going to die. That's just a really basic fact.

I just don't see the point in worrying about it.

Some people will become ill and die earlier than the average and some will live far beyond it. That's how averages work.

I aim to be as healthy as I can/as I'm interested in being but I don't worry about it.

My grandads both died from heart attacks in their 40s. My grandmas lived to late 70s and late 80s. My dad died of cancer at 61 (he was diagnosed at 50). I'm 51. I know women who've died in their 40s from cancer and a friend died at 53.

Very sad obviously but it has no bearing on my own health. So being petrified seems to be a bit of a waste of time.

Just do the best you can and enjoy the life you have. But don't waste it by worrying.

I have been almost entirely sedentary for over a year since taking a FT WFH job. And I feel shit for it. Right, Thats it, I start moving today!

I completely agree with you. Never had the jab and I'm so glad I didn't.

It’s very worrying that a nurse thinks Covid jabs cause cancer. That’s the sound of Florence Nightingale weeping, right there.

For young women I really think it is alcohol.

Yes, a deadly combination.

I voted YABU not because I think you are necessarily wrong but it is not my experience. I work with hundreds of people, know lots of parents through my DC and 4 had/have breast cancer, diagnosed in their 40s. Rest have all been fine.
Not sure why the rates a relatively low amongst us but we are now in 40s-50s so this likely to change. Some were social smokers but none were smokers by the time I met them. Generally all enjoy their wine, perhaps too much sometimes. FWIW pretty much all had at least two Covid jabs, not that I think there is any correlation there.

ETA - 2 of those that had breast cancer did so before COVID.

Another thing to consider is that until fairly recently cancer was a taboo subject, particularly intimate cancers like bowel and breast cancer. Often families and friends were not told what the person had died from. My great grandmother died from breast cancer in her 40s and my grandad and his siblings were never told. It all came out later when they were adults.

In some cases the patient themselves wouldn't even be told what was wrong with them, because it was considered "kinder".

My friend got breast cancer while still BF!

I'm older then you and have a totally different experience.

I've only lost 1 friend my age to cancer.
Don't know anyone else with a diagnosis of cancer.

What kind of area do you live in out of curiosity? I live in a city but not the centre. Just wondering if that makes a difference. @xyzandabc are you in Scotland? Wondering if it's linked to the sick man of Europe thing. I only know one kid in school who lost his mum when we were around 13 years old. It seems mad how many P1 parents have cancer where I am.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers though, there's always been a fair amount of people getting it in their 30s and 40s

And early onset of periods. All contribute to more menstrual cycles and the impact on breasts. There will always be expectations, of course, just like there will be a 90 year old somewhere who smoked from the age of 10 but never got cancer.

Perhaps it is just bad luck in your cohort.

It would be difficult to say unless you gave a breakdown of smoking, drinking history, passive smoking, exposure to chemicals and pollutants, medications, other lifestyle factors (including from childhood) etc.

I only know of a handful of people (maybe 4 or 5) that have died from cancer and they are parents of friends. Two had smoked and once was not smoking related. That’s from hundreds of adults that we know through various circles.