09/23/2025

Toxins, Tech and Tumors

How modern life could be tied to the rise of cancer in Millennials

Gary Patti leaned in to study the rows of plastic tanks, where dozens of translucent zebrafish flickered through chemically treated water. Each tank contained a different substance — some notorious, others less well understood — all known or suspected carcinogens.

Patti's team is watching them closely, tracking which fish develop tumors, to try to find clues to one of the most unsettling medical puzzles of our time: Why are so many young people getting cancer?

The trend began with younger members of Generation X but is now most visible among Millennials, who are being diagnosed in their 20s, 30s and early 40s — decades earlier than past generations. Medications taken during pregnancy, the spread of ultra-processed foods, disruptions to circadian rhythms — caused by late-night work, global travel and omnipresent screens — and the proliferation of synthetic chemicals are all under scrutiny.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.