About breast cancer: breast cancer in young women

What is breast cancer: breast cancer in young women?

Younger women generally do not consider themselves to be at risk for breast cancer. Only 5 percent of all breast cancer cases occur in women under 40 years old. However, breast cancer can strike at any age, and all women should be aware of their personal risk factors for breast cancer. (A risk factor is a condition or behavior that puts a person at risk for developing a disease.)

There are several factors that put a woman at high risk for developing breast cancer, including:

Risk factors include:

  • A personal history of breast cancer or non-cancerous breast disease
  • A family history of breast cancer, particularly in a mother, daughter or sister
  • History of radiation therapy Evidence of a specific genetic defect (BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation). Women who carry defects on either of these genes are at greater risk for developing breast cancer.
  • A Gail Index score of at least 1.7% (The Gail Index uses risk factors such as age, family history of breast cancer, age of first menstrual period and first pregnancy, and number of breast biopsies to calculate a woman's risk of developing breast cancer within the next five years.)

An extended use of oral contraceptives (the Pill) later in life is also sometimes considered a factor for developing breast cancer. However, this is still subject to much debate in the medical community.

What Is Different About Breast Cancer in Younger Women?

Diagnosing breast cancer in younger women (under 40 years old) is more difficult because their breast tissue is generally more dense than the breast tissue in older women. By the time a lump in a younger woman's breast can be felt, the cancer often is advanced.

In addition, breast cancer in younger women may be aggressive and less likely to respond to treatment . Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age are more likely to have a mutated (altered) BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.

Delays in diagnosing breast cancer also are a problem. Many younger women who have breast cancer ignore the warning signs -- such as a breast lump or unusual discharge -- because they believe they are too young to get breast cancer.

Many women assume they are too young to get breast cancer and tend to assume a lump is a harmless cyst or other growth. Some health care providers also dismiss breast lumps in young women as cysts and adopt a "wait and see" approach.

Can Breast Cancer in Younger Women Be Prevented?

Although breast cancer may not be prevented, early detection and prompt treatment can significantly improve a woman's chances of surviving breast cancer. More than 90% of women whose breast cancer is found in an early stage will survive.

When women learn at a young age about the risks and benefits of detecting breast cancer early, they are more likely to following the recommendations regarding clinical exams and mammograms . Young women also need to understand their risk factors and be able to discuss breast health with their health care providers.

Should Women Under Age 40 Get Mammograms?

In general, regular mammograms are not recommended for women under 40 years old, in part, because breast tissue tends to be more dense in young women, making mammograms less effective as a screening tool. In addition, most experts believe the low risk of developing breast cancer at a young age does not justify the radiation exposure or the cost of mammography. However, screening mammograms may be recommended for younger women with a family history of breast cancer and other risk factors.

What Is Different About Breast Cancer in Younger Women?

Diagnosing breast cancer in younger women (under 40 years old) is more difficult because their breast tissue is generally more dense than the breast tissue in older women. By the time a lump in a younger woman's breast can be felt, the cancer often is advanced.

In addition, breast cancer in younger women may be aggressive and less likely to respond to treatment . Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age are more likely to have a mutated (altered) BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.

Delays in diagnosing breast cancer also are a problem. Many younger women who have breast cancer ignore the warning signs -- such as a breast lump or unusual discharge -- because they believe they are too young to get breast cancer.

Many women assume they are too young to get breast cancer and tend to assume a lump is a harmless cyst or other growth. Some health care providers also dismiss breast lumps in young women as cysts and adopt a "wait and see" approach.

Can Breast Cancer in Younger Women Be Prevented?

Although breast cancer may not be prevented, early detection and prompt treatment can significantly improve a woman's chances of surviving breast cancer. More than 90% of women whose breast cancer is found in an early stage will survive.

When women learn at a young age about the risks and benefits of detecting breast cancer early, they are more likely to following the recommendations regarding clinical exams and mammograms . Young women also need to understand their risk factors and be able to discuss breast health with their health care providers.

Should Women Under Age 40 Get Mammograms?

In general, regular mammograms are not recommended for women under 40 years old, in part, because breast tissue tends to be more dense in young women, making mammograms less effective as a screening tool. In addition, most experts believe the low risk of developing breast cancer at a young age does not justify the radiation exposure or the cost of mammography. However, screening mammograms may be recommended for younger women with a family history of breast cancer and other risk factors.

What are the symptoms for breast cancer: breast cancer in young women?

Red breast skin symptom was found in the breast cancer: breast cancer in young women condition

Breast cancer in young women can have different symptoms and they may vary for different people. In certain cases, there won't be any signs at all.

  • The most common symptom is the formation of a lump in your breast or armpit.
  • Skin changes: The skin around the breast and nipple area may change unusually.
  • Pain: People affected by breast cancer may notice Pain in the breast area or nipple. Some may cause a prickly feeling.
  • Swelling in your armpit or near your collarbone: This can indicate that the cancer has spread to lymph nodes in that area.
  • Changes in your nipple: A nipple that pulls inward, and unusual discharge from your nipple.

What are the causes for breast cancer: breast cancer in young women?

Breast cancer is the most frequent type of cancer. The majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer are over the age of 50; however, younger people might still be affected.

The causes of breast cancer in young women can be:

  • Rapid growing cells: It is a known fact that breast cancer occurs when some breast cells grow abnormally. These cells form a lump or mass by dividing or multiplying more rapidly than healthy cells do. Cells may also spread (metastasize) through your breast to your lymph nodes or to other parts of your body.
  • Genetic mutation: Breast cancer develops as a result of genetic mutations or damage to DNA. These can be associated with trusted Source exposure to estrogen, inherited genetic defects, or genes that can cause cancer, such as the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Experts say that about 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are linked to gene mutations passed through generations of a family.
  • Family History: In case you have a family background of breast or ovarian cancer, you may be advised to have your blood tested for these mutations.

What are the treatments for breast cancer: breast cancer in young women?

Your doctor will help you choose the most effective breast cancer treatment based on the type, stage, and grade of your tumor. Treatments are generally the same for women of all ages, but a few exceptions exist.

Drugs called aromatase inhibitors aren’t recommended for women who haven’t yet gone through menopause. These drugs treat estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer by blocking the enzyme aromatase. Aromatase converts the hormone androgen into estrogen. Without estrogen, the tumor can’t grow. Women who haven’t gone through menopause still produce estrogen in their ovaries. This means that aromatase inhibitors will only work if you also take medicine to stop your ovaries from making estrogen.

If medically feasible, you may opt for a more conservative surgery, such as a lumpectomy. This removes the tumor but keeps the breast intact. Chemotherapy, radiation, or both are usually necessary after a lumpectomy. If you need to have a mastectomy, which removes the whole breast, you can ask your surgeon to preserve your nipple. If you plan to have plastic surgery afterward to reconstruct your breast, this can enable your plastic surgeon to create a more natural looking breast.

In your 20s, 30s, and even early 40s, you may be thinking about starting a family or adding to an existing one. Breast cancer treatment can affect your fertility. Both chemotherapy and radiation can damage cells in your ovaries that produce healthy eggs. This damage can make it harder for you to get pregnant.

Hormone therapies such as tamoxifen can make your periods come less often or stop entirely. This can also stop you from getting pregnant. Sometimes, the damage to your fertility is temporary. You may be able to get pregnant after your treatment ends. In other cases, this damage is permanent.

Some breast cancer treatments affect your desire to have sex. They can dampen your sex drive or make you feel too nauseous or tired to be intimate. Having cancer can be so emotionally overwhelming that you find it hard to connect with your partner physically.

If you know you want to have a family, talk to a fertility specialist about your options before starting treatment. One option is to freeze your eggs or fertilized embryos and store them until you’ve finished treatment. You can also take a drug such as leuprolide (Lupron) or goserelin (Zoladex). These drugs shut down your ovaries during chemotherapy treatment to protect them from damage.

What are the risk factors for breast cancer: breast cancer in young women?

There are recognized risk factors that increase your chances of acquiring breast cancer in young women. Some of these are beyond your control, while others are.

  • A young woman is more likely to develop breast cancer if she has a mother, sister, or daughter. If this relative acquired breast cancer prior to menopause and had cancer in both breasts, the risk is even higher.
  • In women, having one first-degree relative with breast cancer roughly doubles their risk, and having two first-degree relatives triples their risk.
  • A woman's risk of developing breast cancer is increased if she has a male blood relative who has the disease.
  • Approximately 5% to 10% of breast cancer instances are estimated to be inherited. Carriers of mutations in either of the two hereditary breast cancer genes, BRCA1 or BRCA2, are at increased risk. Women with an inherited BRCA1 gene mutation have a 72 percent risk of acquiring breast cancer by the age of 80, whereas those with an inherited BRCA2 gene mutation have a 69 percent chance of developing breast cancer.
  • Other forms of faulty genes that raise the risk of breast cancer exist.

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