What factors are contributing to the rising incidence of cancer?

• A. Younger population and reduced screening
• B. Decreased lifestyle risk factors
• C. Improved treatment options
• D. An ageing population and early detection

Answer: (D)

Rising cancer incidence is driven by two main factors: people living longer and more cancers being found through screening. As the population ages, more individuals reach the high-risk years for cancer, so the number of new cases each year naturally climbs. At the same time, advances in screening and routine early detection identify cancers earlier and more frequently, which increases the count of diagnosed cases even if the underlying biology hasn’t changed.

In contrast, a younger population would typically lower the annual number of new cases, and reducing lifestyle risk factors would also tend to lower incidence. Improvements in treatment affect outcomes after diagnosis, not how often cancer occurs.