Home Young Women And Breast Cancer Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace. — Amelia Earhart Any woman can develop breast cancer, even in her thirties, twenties and sometimes even younger. “Young,” for the purposes of breast cancer, usually refers to women under the age of 40. What is the risk of breast cancer for young women? The risk of breast cancer for young women is very low. According to the American Cancer Society, less than five percent of the new breast cancer cases diagnosed from 1998 - 2002 in the United States were estimated to be in women younger than 40 years of age. Although younger women are less likely to develop breast cancer, women diagnosed at a younger age are more likely to have a mutation in a certain gene that increases their risk for breast and ovarian cancer. For women with one of these mutated genes, the estimated risk of developing breast cancer by age 70 is 14 to 87 percent, and the risk of developing ovarian cancer is 10 to 68 percent. It is difficult to say hat the exact risk of breast cancer is, and it depends on gene factors and age. See Genetic Testing and Counseling of this Directory for more information about genes and breast cancer. Another difference of breast cancer in younger women is that it can be more aggressive than breast cancer in older women, and may be less responsive to hormone treatments. Still, the ultimate outlook is good. More than 80 percent of young women diagnosed with breast cancer survive at least five years after the diagnosis. What special challenges do young women face? Diagnosing breast cancer in younger women can be more difficult because their breast tissue is denser (has more gland and connective tissue and less fat tissue) than the breast tissue of older women. Mammograms are not as effective at detecting breast cancer in women with denser breast tissue. In those cases, ultrasound may be used to get another view (or in some cases, digital mammography or MRI), and biopsies may be necessary to make a definite diagnosis as to whether the lump is benign or cancerous. The vast majority of breast lumps in younger women are NOT cancerous. They are most likely due to fibrocystic breasts or they are cysts, both of which are benign (not cancer) conditions. As a young woman, if you are concerned about a breast lump, you may need to be persistent when working with your doctors to determine whether a breast lump or other changes in the breast indicate breast cancer or a benign condition. Because breast cancer in young women is rare, physicians may pay less attention to lumps in young women’s breasts. Younger women are often told a lump is a cyst or to “wait and see” if there are any changes. If you are not completely comfortable with the information you are given after a clinical breast examination, mammogram and consultation with your doctor, do not hesitate to request further testing or get a second opinion. The physical experience of having breast cancer as a young woman (diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy or radiation) is much the same as it is for any woman diagnosed with breast cancer. The treatment options chosen by you and your doctors depend on the biology, location and extent of your breast cancer and what you feel is best for you. Young women with breast cancer have special concerns that often do not apply to older women with breast cancer. One challenge that young women with breast cancer face is that there are limited resources available to address these issues. Some of the concerns that young women may have include: preserving fertility during treatment, selecting birth control after treatment, getting pregnant after breast cancer, and raising young children. In addition, a small percentage of younger women may have received a diagnosis of breast cancer during a pregnancy. Young women may find it difficult to find other young women who have gone through similar experiences. Check the Resources at the end of this section for groups focusing on the needs of younger women with breast cancer. Also, see Women Building Bridges (a peer support program). In the Bridges program, North Carolina women who were diagnosed with breast cancer at all ages (some in their 20s, 30s and 40s) have volunteered to talk with other women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Posted on: Sat, 21 Sep 2013 01:58:13 +0000
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