According to the American Cancer Society, younger adults were the only age group to experience an increase in overall cancer incidence between 1995 and 2020. The rate rose by 1% to 2% annually during that period. That’s why Prime Therapeutics (Prime) is diving into clinical insights to help health care payers address this critical issue.  

Prime’s new Oncology Trends webinar series explores trending topics and offers valuable perspectives to help shape actionable strategies in the managed care space. Its inaugural episode, The Rising Incidence of Cancer in Younger Populations and the Implications for Health Plans, sheds light on a growing public health concern  —  the increasing rates of cancer among individuals under 50 years of age, particularly women.  

Featuring Prime’s own Abby Kim, PharmD, BCOP, senior principal clinical oncology pharmacist, and Victoria Facchini, PharmD, director, specialty clinical solutions, this timely session draws from the latest research and expert insights, covering: 

• An evolving cancer landscape. Advances in precision medicine, immunotherapy and gene editing are transforming treatment, yet early-onset cancer rates are climbing. 
• Data-driven insights. Recent studies show significant increases in cancers such as colorectal, breast, uterine and kidney among a few groups of younger people.
• Contributing factors to early detection. Suspected drivers of increased diagnoses include lifestyle changes, genetic predispositions and improved screening methods.  
• The unique challenges for younger patients. 
  • Higher lifetime treatment costs 
  • Disruption to education, employment and family life 
  • Insurance transitions and underinsurance 
  • Emotional and psychosocial burdens 
• The implications for managed care. 
  • Rising oncology spend across commercial and Medicaid populations 
  • Importance of early detection — catching cancer one stage earlier can reduce costs by approximately $50,000 per year and triple survival rates¹ 

  • Need for tailored benefits, including oncofertility counseling and survivorship care 

Strategic recommendations for payers 

Prime works with its payer clients to mitigate downstream impacts by advising on the following actionable strategies: 

• Alignment of screening policies with evolving guidelines 
• Investment in data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) for early risk identification 

• Support including patient navigation and survivorship programs 

The rising incidence of cancer in younger adults demands a proactive, data-informed response from payers. Prevention, early detection and personalized support are key to managing costs and improving outcomes. 

Watch the webinar and explore actionable strategies 

References

1. How Cancer Screenings Helped Save the U.S. $6.5 Trillion: A Case for Early Detection. https://udshealth.com/blog/cancer-screening-early-detection-saves-costs/. Accessed Aug. 14, 2025.