The lump was breast cancer.
A rare diagnosis for women under the age of 40, like Kaminky, 4 percent The number of invasive breast cancer diagnoses in the United States last year.
Overall, the incidence of breast cancer in women under the age of 40 is low, about 25 per 100,000 women By comparison, women aged 40-64 had about 229 cases per 100,000 and women aged 65-74 had 462 cases per 100,000.
But experiences like Kaminky’s are becoming more common.
A study published last week in JAMA Network Open showed that cancer is on the rise among young Americans under the age of 50, especially women. Between 2010 and 2019, the number of diagnoses among people aged 30 to 39 increased by 19.4 percent. Among those aged 20 to 29, it increased by 5.3%. Breast cancer was the most common cancer among young people.
Percentage of young women diagnosed with end-stage breast cancer I climbed. According to American Cancer Society data, the proportion of women under the age of 40 increased by about 3% each year from 2000 to 2019.
Breast cancer mortality among older women declined from 2010 to 2017, while breast cancer mortality among younger women declined. did not decrease.
“We have to get out of the mindset of ‘You’re young and it can’t happen,'” Dartmouth said. “It happens to young women, and it’s clearly affecting their survival.”・Debra Monticciolo, director of breast imaging at Hitchcock Medical Center, said.
Despite these trends, there is little advice for young women: Early detection of breast cancer.Mammography is recommended only for women From 40 to 74 years old. According to research they are not Effective for young women. largely Medical institution Regular breast massage is not recommended self test or clinical examination Because studies have shown that they make no difference to mortality.
Young women with breast cancer said in interviews that they felt ignored by their doctors when they first expressed concerns about their breast cancer health. Now, with a growing group of patients and professionals, there is a growing demand for more research and dialogue about breast cancer in young women.
“It’s not the first time I’ve been 40 to discuss breast cancer with my doctor,” said Tari King, director of breast surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
young women have few choices
Kaminky, who lives in Thornton, Colorado, has no family history of breast cancer. She discovered the disease early, at stage 1B, but a biopsy revealed it to be an aggressive form with a high likelihood of recurrence. On her doctor’s advice, she underwent her double mastectomy and months of chemotherapy while caring for her 3-year-old and her 6-year-old son as a single mother.
When her hair started falling out, she asked her young sons to help her cut it. Some days she could barely get off the couch, but she still had to continue her full-time HR job at a tech company. She has exhausted her retirement savings and she can’t afford to take any more unpaid medical leave.
“It will definitely affect my life and my children’s lives 1000 percent. Financially it’s going to be very difficult for me and my children’s lives, but mentally My life will change from now on,” she said.
She finished chemotherapy in July and is awaiting her next scan to see if it’s working.
Young women with breast cancer often experience greater emotional distress, experts say than older women. Diagnosed at such a young age, It can lead to feelings of isolation as it may not align with society’s expectations of getting promoted at work, getting married, and having children.
Young women are more likely to be diagnosed than older women. Late and Aggressive breast cancer. they again, Growing risk that the cancer will recur.
“Obviously, getting breast cancer is fatal for anyone. said William Dahat, chief scientific officer of the American Cancer Society.
Why young women are not tested
Experts say there is no evidence of cost-effectiveness or potential benefits of universally recommending breast cancer screening for women under 40. Another concern is the potential harm of screening, including the psychological burden of false positives and lifetime exposure to small amounts of breast cancer. radiation.
Monticciolo believes all women should undergo a risk assessment when they turn 25. Those found to be at high risk should be screened regularly, and all women should have easy access to mammography and other diagnostic tools. If you’re concerned about breast changes, she said.
Experts say yes There is no clear explanation for why more women are being diagnosed with breast cancer at an early age, but there are several possible factors.
Genetics is a known risk factor for breast cancer, but it doesn’t appear to be driving breast cancer trends, says Elizabeth Subergmann, chief of gynecologic oncology in the Northern California region at Kaiser Permanente. said Mr.Most women who develop breast cancer at a young age no genetic riskshe said.
One possible factor is that more women are delaying their first pregnancies, Sue Bergman said. If you are pregnant for the first time after age 35 is a risk factor for breast cancer. One theory is that after the age of 35, abnormal cells accumulate in the breasts for longer. Changes in the breasts that occur during pregnancy can promote the development of those abnormal cells into cancer, Subergmann said.
have dense breasts is another risk factor. Early menstruation and late menopause are also contributing factors, as the breasts are exposed to estrogen for longer periods. lifestyle, diet, weight, alcohol consumption and environmental exposure It may also affect the risk of breast cancer.
Race can also be a factor.black women Probability is high than white women Being diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age.they again Probability is high Diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer called triple-negative breast cancer. Experts don’t know why this is happening, but say socioeconomic factors and exposure to pollution may play a role.
It took Charisma McDuffie, who is black, seven months and four separate doctors to finally get a diagnosis after she began feeling recurring sharp pains in her chest. She was diagnosed with stage 3 triple negative breast cancer in January 2020. she was 28 years old.
Like many other young women, Brooklyn-born McDuffie decided to freeze her eggs before starting treatment for cancer. can affect Fertility.She found herself in the clinic She consistently balances fertility treatments with cancer-related tests and appointments. After freezing her eggs, McDuffie underwent chemotherapy, radiation, a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.
Now 32, she has been cancer-free for three years. The experience still takes a toll on her mentally and emotionally. Some days are fine, some days are fine. In others she cries.
“I never had self-esteem issues. Now I have all these insecurities,” McDuffie said. scar from her mastectomy.
Economic Loss of Breast Cancer in Young Women
Lindsey Mudra, 33, of Minneapolis, feels financial barriers limit her treatment options. While she was juggling two jobs as a part-time behavioral assistant and dance instructor, she was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in April, and she took unpaid leave. Her cancer is considered grade 3, which means it may be fast-growing and likely to metastasize.
Madra decided to have a lumpectomy, which removes only a small portion of her breast. After surgery, it turned out that the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes. She is now starting chemotherapy and needs a mastectomy. To help cover her medical bills, Ms. Madura set up her GoFundMe account. A friend of Kaminky’s also organized a fundraiser on her GoFundMe to help pay for her medical expenses.
Breast cancer is often greater financial burden Younger patients are more likely to have lower incomes, less savings, higher deductible health insurance plans, or no health insurance at all.
“There is a whole other side to this problem, young survivors have higher rates of bankruptcy, financial harm and all these things due to their life circumstances.” said Mary L. Gemignani, co-director of Young Women with Breast Cancer. Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Madra said she has been having nightmares since being diagnosed.
“It’s triggered by helplessness. It’s triggered by expectations and anxiety. It’s triggered by not being able to control your body,” she said.
When Vanessa Chapoi was 24, she noticed a lump in her breast and called her healthcare provider. She was told that her breast cancer did not occur in women her age and was benign. At the time, she was unaware that she had a family history of breast cancer.
“If I had listened to that doctor, I wouldn’t be here now,” she said.
Chapoi consulted a gynecologist and learned that she had a golf-ball-sized tumor on her chest. She had stage 2 breast cancer. After a lumpectomy, 16 rounds of chemotherapy, and a double mastectomy, she is cancer-free.
She is now 27 and lives in Reston, Virginia. I am still in treatment. Although she is on hormone therapy, she occasionally experiences hot flashes and pain throughout her body. She also doesn’t feel as successful in her sales job as she used to.
“It slowed my career down. What worries me most is my chemo brain and the fact that it’s affecting my memory,” she said. phenomenon If cancer treatment can cause brain fog or problems with concentration or memory. “I have to try harder.”
At first, she felt alone in these feelings, but soon found an online community for young women who also suffered from breast cancer. Mr. Chapoi is among a group of people calling for a clearer answer.
Breast cancer research is increasingly targeting younger patients, but more research is still needed on screening young women, said breast cancer specialist Laetitia Varela of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
“Young women shouldn’t be told they’re too young to get breast cancer,” she says.
Caitlin Gilbert contributed to this report.
