Experts have raised concerns about a significant rise in appendix cancer cases, noting that the surge in diagnoses among individuals under 50 is baffling and unexplained.

A study featured in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals a sharp increase in appendix cancer incidences in individuals born post-1970s.

The incidence has tripled or even quadrupled in younger generations compared with those born in the 1940s.

Professor Justin Stebbing, an oncologist and researcher at Anglia Ruskin University, shared with the Daily Mail: ‘For many years, appendix cancer was a rarity that most doctors encountered only a few times in their careers, predominantly in older patients.

‘But the increase in appendix cancer cases is stark, particularly in young people.

‘It is essentially a form of colon cancer and we are now seeing a lot more people in their 30s and 40s with this aggressive form of cancer

‘However, the underlying cause of this increase remains a mystery. The leading hypothesis suggests diet, particularly the consumption of ultra-processed foods, might play a role, but there is no definitive explanation of how it connects to cancer.

‘I think it is more likely that an increase in obesity is behind the rise, but we do not really know.’

The appendix is a small pouch of tissue connected to the bowel in the lower right side of the abdomen.

The appendix is part of the intestinal system, aiding in waste removal, and while its specific role is not fully understood, researchers propose it may support immune function.

However, the organ can also produce cancerous cells, which start to divide uncontrollably, forming tumours.

These can either grow from cells that line the appendix, or from the chemicals involved in digestion.

Although appendix cancer is still uncommon, it represents about 0.4 percent of all bowel cancer cases, meaning approximately 176 individuals are diagnosed with this cancer type.

The concern among experts is that one in three cases now occurs in adults under 50, a much higher proportion than seen in other types of gastrointestinal cancers

Experts warn that the symptoms are vague and easy to dismiss’.

‘People might experience mild abdominal pain, bloating or changes in bowel habits, which are common complaints for many benign conditions. 

‘As a result, most cases are only discovered after surgery for suspected appendicitis, when it’s often too late for early intervention,’ wrote Dr Stebbing in the Conversation.

‘If someone experiences persistent or unusual abdominal symptoms, especially if they’re under 50, it’s important not to ignore them. Early investigation and prompt treatment can make a significant difference in outcomes.’

If the cancer is caught early, patients have an optimistic 67 to 97 percent likelihood of surviving more than five years after their diagnosis.

But for those whose cancer is not caught until stages three or four, when it has spread to other parts of the body, survival rates are dramatically lower, with studies estimating the figure to be around 50 per cent.

The disease can spread to different parts of the abdomen, leading to severe pain.

The slight upward trend in the disease appears to be faster than that for colon cancer overall.

Among adults aged 20 to 39 years-old, estimates suggest cases have risen by two percent per year on average.

In those aged 30 to 39 years old, cases rose by five percent per year overall.

Yet, over the last 30 years, young diagnoses of colon cancer have shot up by 80 per cent across the globe, research suggests.

There are around 2,600 new bowel cancer cases in people aged 25-49 in the UK every year.

Symptoms of the disease are similar to that of appendiceal cancer but there may also be blood in the stool.

The disease kills almost 17,000 people in the UK each year, with the death toll rising to about 50,000 in America.

Overall, just over half of bowel cancer patients are expected to be alive 10 years after their diagnosis.