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11th Annual Conference for

Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer

Fact Sheet : Young Women and Breast Cancer

10th Anniversary Provided by: Young Survival Coalition

The Facts

Despite the prevailing opinions that young women don’t get breast cancer, the reality is that they can and they do. Here are some important and startling facts about breast cancer in young women:

  • In 2008, the American Cancer Society projects 182,460 new cases of breast cancer in females; it is estimated that 10,000 of these women will be under 40 years of age, and nearly 23,000 will be under 45 years of age.1
  • One in 20 women with breast cancer is under age 40 when diagnosed. One in 8 women diagnosed with breast cancer is younger than 45 when diagnosed.2
  • Breast cancer accounts for 26% of all cancer in females 15-39 years of age and 39% of all cancer in 35- to 39-year-olds.3
  • Young women’s breast cancers are generally more aggressive and result in lower survival rates.
  • Increasingly, evidence suggests that breast cancer before age 40 is biologically different from the majority of breast cancer that occurs in older women. Women younger than 25 may have a third type of biologically distinct breast cancer.
  • As the incidence of young women with breast cancer is much lower than in older women, young women are often an underrepresented population in research studies.

The Issues

Young women diagnosed with breast cancer face a myriad of issues that may significantly impact their quality and quantity of life. Some of these concerns include:

  • Body Image: It may be challenging for some women to embrace their new body after breast cancer-related surgery.
  • Relationships & Dating: Whether married or single, intimacy issues may arise for women who’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer.
  • Fertility: Breast cancer treatment may affect a woman’s future plans to have children.
  • Financial Challenges: Breast cancer can dramatically impact a woman’s financial stability when it pertains to workplace issues, lack of health insurance, or being underinsured.

Citations

1 American Cancer Society, Cancer Facts and Figures 2008

2 Cancer Statistics, 2/2008 CA A Cancer Journal for Clinicians

3 U.S. SEER 1990-1999 and 2000-2004