Before we get engulfed in a pink cloud this month, I wanted to stay true to the purpose of the month and post some important information for young women facing breast cancer. This is printed from the Young Survival Coalition web site:Young women CAN and DO get breast cancer. While breast cancer in young women accounts for a small percentage of all breast cancer cases, the impact of this disease is widespread. There are more than 250,000 women living in the U.S. who were diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 40 or under, and approximately 10,000 young women will be diagnosed in the next year. But, despite the fact that breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women ages 15 to 54.It doesn't matter your age, the time is now. Use this month in all its pink glory to remind you each year that it is time for the annual exam. You're worth it. Really.Many young women and their doctors are unaware that they are at risk for breast cancer. There is no effective breast cancer screening tool for women 40 and under. Young women are often diagnosed at a later stage than their older counterparts. There is very little research focused on issues unique to this younger population, such as fertility, pregnancy, genetic predisposition, the impact of hormonal status on the effectiveness of treatment, psycho-social and long-term survivorship issues and higher mortality rates for young women, particularly for African-Americans and Latinas. Young women diagnosed with breast cancer often feel isolated and have little contact with peers who can relate to what they are experiencing. As the incidence of young women with breast cancer is much lower than in older women, young women are underrepresented in many research studies.
Labels: awareness, Spreading the love
