What Young Women Should Know About Breast Cancer/Breast Health
1. Breast cancer risk increases with
age.
Believe me, I’m a staunch supporter of the multiple 29th birthday, but women have got to be honest—at least with themselves—when it comes to breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer increases as we get older and as we age, we need to take the necessary precautions to protect our health. Approximately 77% of women with breast cancer are over age 50 at the time of diagnosis while women between the ages of 20 and 29 account for only 0.3% of breast cancer cases. But don’t get cocky twenty-somethings--all women should be aware of the risk factors for breast cancer and follow the established guidelines to help detect breast cancer early, when the chances for survival are the greatest. And survival is, in the words of Martha, a good thing.
The chart below shows how the number of breast cancer cases increases with age:
| A Woman’s Chances of Breast Cancer Increases With Age | |||
| By age 25 | 1 out of 19,608 | By age 60 | 1 out of 24 |
| By age 30 | 1 out of 2,525 | By age 65 | 1 out of 17 |
| By age 35 | 1 out of 622 | By age 70 | 1 out of 14 |
| By age 40 | 1 out of 217 | By age 75 | 1 out of 11 |
| By age 45 | 1 out of 93 | By age 80 | 1 out of 10 |
| By age 50 | 1 out of 50 | By age 85 | 1 out of 9 |
| By age 55 | 1 out of 33 | Ever | 1 out of 8 |
Source: NCI Surveillance Program |
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Yes, girls, you’re gonna have to get very chummy with those boobies. Bosom buddies in fact (sorry, couldn’t resist). Because the first signs of breast cancer may be very subtle changes in the appearance of the breast, all women should perform monthly breast self-exams beginning when they reach 20 years of age. Yep, 20.
Here’s how you do a breast self-exam:
You’ll need to stand in front of the mirror (topless, of course, ladies), put your hands on your waist and rotate, examining the side profile of each breast. Then you should raise your arms, looking for small abnormalities such as a slight indentation or flattened curve of one breast when compared to the other. You should do this self-exam while standing in front of a mirror, while lying down, and while in the shower. After examining yourself, you should then begin to look for changes or other warning signs such as:
- Any new lump or hard knot found in the breast or armpit
- Any lump or thickening that does not shrink or lessen after menstruation
- A thickening or swelling of the breast
- Any dimpling, puckering or indention in the breast
- Dimpling, skin irritation or other change in the breast skin or nipple
- Redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin Nipple discharge (fluid coming from the nipples other than breast milk), particularly if the discharge is bloody, clear and sticky, dark, or occurs without squeezing the nipple
- Nipple tenderness or pain
- Nipple retraction: turning or drawing inward or pointing in a new direction
- Any breast change that may be cause for concern
If you notice any breast changes or abnormalities, alert your physician immediately. In addition, women between the ages of 20 and 39 should receive clinical breast exams (by a health care professional) at least every three years. Beginning at age 40, all women should having yearly mammograms (x-rays), yearly clinical breast exams, and practice monthly breast self-exams. Early detection, early detection, early detection. It could save your life.
3. Young women should know the risk factors for breast cancer.Even though the incidence of breast cancer among women in their twenties is low, all women should know the risk factors for breast cancer. Young women with a strong family history of breast cancer or those who test positive for gene mutations BRCA1 or BRCA2, are at much higher breast cancer risk. These women should talk with their physicians about taking additional measures for detecting cancer early like beginning screening mammograms (x-rays of the breast) before age 40.
Risk factors for breast cancer include:
- Age: breast cancer risk increases with age.
- Genetics: recent studies have shown that up to 10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary. Several genes have been shown to be involved with breast cancer, including mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.
- Personal history: women who have had breast cancer in one breast are three to four times as likely to develop breast cancer in the opposite breast than women who have never had breast cancer.
- Family history: if a woman’s blood-related relatives on either her mother or father’s side of the family have had breast cancer, then she is at increased risk for the disease. Having a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) with breast cancer can double a woman’s risk.
- Previous breast biopsy showing benign conditions: women who have previously had breast biopsies showing benign (non-cancerous) conditions such as lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) or atypical hyperplasia (AH) may have a slightly higher risk of developing breast cancer. These conditions are characterized by a sharp increase in the number of breast cells. Women with fibrocystic breasts are not at increased risk for breast cancer.
- Menstrual periods: women who begin menstruating at an early age (before age 12) and those who reach menopause after age 50 have an increased risk of breast cancer.
- Delayed childbirth: women who have their first child after age 30 or who never have a child are at a higher risk for develop breast cancer.
- Alcohol: studies show that drinking alcohol on a daily basis increases breast cancer risk. A recent study on alcohol and breast cancer revealed that women who consume two to five alcoholic beverages each day were found to have a 41% increased risk of developing invasive breast cancer compared to women who don’t drink.
- Smoking: smoking increases a woman’s chance of developing several types of cancer, including breast cancer. And, cigarettes stink.
- Diet: there is a much higher incidence of breast cancer in areas with high fat diets (such as the United States) than areas with low-fat diets (such as Japan). But don’t move to Tokyo yet. The link between diet and breast cancer risk is complicated and is affected by the type of fat in a woman’s diet. Monounsaturated fats, such as canola oil or olive oil have been linked to lower breast cancer risk while a diet high in polyunsaturated fats such as corn oils, tub margarine, and saturated fats in meats are associated with a higher risk of breast cancer.
- Weight: the link between weight and not fitting into that too-tight suede skirt you bought on sale is a known fact, while the link between weight and breast cancer risk is not. Several new studies suggest that overweight (obese) women who gained weight as adults are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer, but women who have been overweight since childhood are not at any significantly higher risk. Hmm. Also, overweight women who take hormone replacement therapy are at greater risk of developing breast cancer.
- Previous radiation therapy: women whose breasts have been exposed to radiation therapy during childhood are at higher risk of developing breast cancer, especially if radiation was used to treat Hodgkin’s disease. Generally, the younger the woman was exposed to radiation, the greater the risk that she will develop breast cancer.
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Breast Health 101 was created by she she me (www.shesheme.com) and Imaginis.com. For more information contact us via email at: breasthealth101@imaginis.com