Hope Blog
Young Women And Breast Cancer
by Jo's Hope on 03/01/11
Teenaged girls and women in their twenties and thirties don't often think about being diagnosed with breast cancer. It's just not a disease of the young. Older women, grandmothers and great-aunts get breast cancer. And if a young woman finds a lump in her breast, she tends to dismiss it as something else...sometimes, her healthcare provider will dismiss it as well. Breast cancer is rare in young women with just under 7% of cases occurring in women under 40 years old.
It is important for young women to understand that they CAN get breast cancer. Yes, it is rare, but it does happen and girls as young as 10 years old have been diagnosed. Young women have to educate themselves. Breast cancer tends to be more aggressive in the young and the recurrance rate is higher in young women than it is in their older counterparts.
What Should A Young Woman Know?
Know your breasts. Familiarize yourself with their look, feel and shape. If you notice changes in your breasts see your healthcare provider.
Know the warning signs. If you find a lump or have unusual discharge, see your healthcare provider.
Know the risk factors and let your healthcare provider know about all of them that apply to you:
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Personal history of breast cancer or other breast diseases.
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Family history of breast cancer (especially in your mother, daughter or sister).
- Heavy alcohol use.
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Dense breast tissue.
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Obesity.
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Race (Caucasian women are more likely to be diagnosed, but African-American women are more likely to die from breast cancer).
Early detection is key. 90% of women whose breast cancer is diagnosed early, survive the disease.
Educate yourselves, know your breasts and the warning signs/risk factors. If you believe there is something wrong and your healthcare provider tells you "it's probably nothing, don't worry", seek a second opinion. Your health is your responsibility. It's in your hands.
Please see our RESOURCES page for great educational websites and other resources.
-Dana
