A recent study found that breast cancer cases in women younger than 50 are rising twice as fast as cases in older women. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and experts encourage younger women to be proactive in cancer prevention.
According to Health, this means being aware of family history and monitoring for symptoms, including lumps, breast pain, and nipple discharge. In the U.S., annual mammograms are recommended for people aged 40 to 75. For younger women with a family history of breast cancer, earlier screenings may be beneficial.
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“The report underscores what many of us in oncology have observed in our clinical practices for years: Early onset cancers are on the rise,” said Dr. Tiffany Onger, a medical oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic. “We’ve already seen this with colon cancer, prompting changes in screening guidelines, and now we’re witnessing a familiar shift in breast cancer.”
Angela Giaquinto, a researcher at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the study, said that several factors are to blame for this rise. Excessive weight gain, sedentary lifestyles, and alcohol consumption all increase the risk of breast cancer.
The research also pointed out the differences in how breast cancer affects ethnic groups. Black, Hispanic, Asian American, and Pacific Islander women between the ages of 20 and 59 are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer diagnosis compared to white women. Black women under the age of 50 are 38% more likely to die from the disease than white women.
Early detection is always a key factor in curing cancer and breast cancer is no different. Onger said that women should know how a normal breast feels, and the symptoms of breast cancer.
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“Regardless of age, it is crucial for women to be familiar with how their breasts normally feel,” she told Health. “Any persistent changes lasting more than two weeks should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common symptoms of breast cancer include:
• New lump in the breast or underarm where lymph nodes are located.
• Thickening or swelling of part of the breast.
• Dimpling or irritation of the breast skin.
• Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area.
• Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood.
• Any change in the size or the shape of the breast.
• Pain in any area of the breast.
“Any persistent change in the breast should be evaluated by a physician, no matter how young you are,” said Giaquinto. “Cancer increasingly affects younger people.”