| Sometimes a cancer is unusual, not in itself, but in the | | | | studies have recently shed some light on this theory. |
| situation which it occurs. Breast cancer is most | | | | Both studies showed that the mortality from breast |
| common in women over 50; there are several cases | | | | cancer was higher in women who had been pregnant |
| in women in their 40s. It is far rarer in women under | | | | in the past four years. Risk was assessed to be |
| 40, but it does occur. We tend to be particularly | | | | higher right after pregnancy and decreased with each |
| shocked when it occurs in a young woman. In this | | | | year, going back to normal after four years. Since |
| situation it is detected as a lump, since generally, | | | | young women are more likely to have been recently |
| breast cancer screening through mammography is | | | | pregnant, they will show more of this effect. This |
| not done in young women. | | | | suggests that it may not be the woman's age itself |
| Very often, a young woman gets misdiagnosed. She | | | | that affects aggressiveness but the changes in her |
| detects a lump and she is told it is just lumpy breasts | | | | immune system and hormones that go with |
| and it is followed for a while until doctors realize it's | | | | pregnancy. |
| something serious. Although this can be horrifying, in | | | | Breast cancer in young women is more likely to be |
| fact, it's quite understandable, since the vast majority | | | | hereditary. That makes sense - if you've inherited a |
| of lumps in women under 35 are totally benign and | | | | gene mutation and you will only need one or two |
| the risk of cancer is very low. The fact that cancer is | | | | more mutations to get cancer, you're one step closer |
| not diagnosed immediately doesn't mean that the | | | | and you're likely to get there faster, whereas if you |
| young patient will die; since most breast cancers | | | | "acquire" breast cancer, you still need to get all the |
| have been around 8 to 10 years, and whether it is | | | | genetic mutations. That doesn't work all the time. |
| diagnosed the minute you find it or six months later | | | | Like older women, the majority of younger women |
| isn't the critical factor. We're so horrified when a | | | | with breast cancer have no family history. |
| young woman gets breast cancer that there's a | | | | Nevertheless, if you have breast cancer in your |
| disappointing number of lawsuits against doctors | | | | family you are more likely to get it at a younger age |
| failing to find breast cancer in this population, because | | | | than if you don't. |
| they're often misdiagnosed and because it's such a | | | | Overall, there is no evidence that breast cancer |
| gut-wrenching situation. However, in most cases the | | | | under 35 matched for prognostic features is any |
| doctors are not negligent. Still, doctors should be | | | | more aggressive than a cancer in an older woman. |
| taught that young women can develop breast cancer | | | | Younger women do, on the other hand, have a |
| and that doctors should remain vigilant. | | | | higher incidence of poor prognostic features. Still, a |
| Many doctors believe that breast cancer in a young | | | | young woman and an older woman with the same |
| woman is more aggressive than in older ones. Two | | | | tumors will have the same general prognosis. |