Can You Get Breast Cancer At 27

Breast Cancer Statistics In Young Adults

Although breast cancer in young adults is rare, more than 250,000 living in the United States today were diagnosed under age 40. In young adults, breast cancer tends to be diagnosed in its later stages. It also tends to be more aggressive. Young adults have a higher mortality rate. As well as a higher risk of metastatic recurrence .

Take Action To Change Young Adult Breast Cancer Statistics

When all young adults affected by breast cancer work together, we can raise awareness, improve our representation in research and make each other stronger. We are dedicated to these goals, working to turn our unique challenges into opportunities for shared success. Join the movement! Become an advocate for young women with breast cancer.

Risk Factors & Symptoms

Known risk factors for cancer in young adults include:

• Exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun or from tanning beds, which can increase the risk of melanoma and other skin cancers.
• Infection with some types of human papillomavirus , a sexually transmitted disease that can increase the risk of cervical and some other cancers.
• Infection with human immunodeficiency virus , which can raise the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Kaposi sarcoma and some other cancers.
• Treatment with chemotherapy or radiation therapy for a childhood cancer, which can increase the risk of getting a second cancer often leukemia later on.

As with most forms of cancer, early detection is the best course to recovery, says Dr. Rokitka. Regular medical care is so important. Many adolescents and young adults are uninsured or underinsured and believe that they are too young to have cancer. Any suspicion should be brought to your doctor immediately.

The most common symptoms of cancer in young adults include:

• Unusual lump or swelling in the neck, breast, belly, testicle or elsewhere
• Unexplained tiredness and loss of energy
• Easy bruising
• Ongoing pain in one part of the body
• Unexplained fever or illness that doesnt go away
• Frequent headaches, often with vomiting
• Sudden eye or vision changes
• Loss of appetite or unplanned weight loss
• A new mole or other spot on the skin, or one that changes in size, shape, or color

Recommended Reading: Anne Hathaway Breast Cancer

When To Start Screening

We recommend mammogram screening to start no earlier than age 40 and no later than age 50 for women of average risk for breast cancer, and continue through to at least age 74, says Dr. Andrejeva-Wright. Screening mammography should occur at least once every two years. For women whose screening mammograms show they have dense breasts, an extra testa breast ultrasoundis recommended.

Dr. Andrejeva-Wright says it is important to talk with a health care provider about when you should start getting mammograms, based on your unique health profile, and to make an appointment to see your doctor if you notice any unusual breast changes.

Any time a woman feels a breast mass, which does not go away, while doing a breast self-exam at any age, she should get it checked out, says Dr. Silber.

More than half of the time, women detect breast cancers themselves when they notice an unusual breast change. Whenever there is a new mass or lump, tell your doctorit should be evaluated by a clinical physical examination followed by breast imaging, says Dr. Andrejeva-Wright. Other signs to be aware of include asymmetry of the breasts and nipple changes such as discharge or peeling skin around the nipple.

Says Dr. Andrejeva-Wright, These symptoms dont mean you have breast cancer, but its a reason to seek an opinion from a medical provider.

What Is Different About Breast Cancer In Younger Women

Diagnosing breast cancer in women under 40 years old is more difficult, because their breast tissue is generally denser than in older women. By the time a lump in a younger woman’s breast can be felt, the cancer may be advanced.

In addition, breast cancer in younger women can be aggressive and less likely to respond to treatment. Women who are diagnosed at a younger age also are more likely to have a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.

Delays in diagnosing breast cancer can cause problems. Many younger women ignore the warning signs — such as a breast lump or unusual nipple discharge — because they believe theyre too young to get breast cancer. They may assume a lump is a harmless cyst or other growth. Some doctors may also dismiss breast lumps in young women as cysts.

Also Check: Anne Hathaway Breast Implants

Is It Possible For A 16 Year Old Get Breast Cancer

90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:

Found in:

People also asked

What Clinical Trials Are Available For Women With Inflammatory Breast Cancer

NCI sponsors clinical trials of new treatments for all types of cancer, as well as trials that test better ways to use existing treatments. Participation in clinical trials is an option for many patients with inflammatory breast cancer, and all patients with this disease are encouraged to consider treatment in a clinical trial.

Descriptions of ongoing clinical trials for individuals with inflammatory breast cancer can be accessed by searching NCIs list of cancer clinical trials. NCIs list of cancer clinical trials includes all NCI-supported clinical trials that are taking place across the United States and Canada, including the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD. For information about how to search the list, see Help Finding NCI-Supported Clinical Trials.

People interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their doctor. Information about clinical trials is available from NCIs Cancer Information Service at 18004CANCER and in the NCI booklet Taking Part in Cancer Treatment Research Studies. Additional information about clinical trials is available online.

Selected References

Read Also: How To Cure Breast Cancer With Baking Soda

What Surviving Breast Cancer At 27 Taught Me About Wrinkles

journalist, speaker, author of the memoir “The Invisible Girls”

My friend went to a cocktail party in New York City a few weeks ago. She introduced herself to a shy, well-dressed woman who was wearing a silk scarf around her neck, standing in the corner. My friend said, “I just wanted to tell you — that scarf is gorgeous.”

The woman fidgeted with the fabric and said quietly, “I’m just wearing it until I can afford to get my neck fixed.”

She said she was embarrassed about the wrinkles that had appeared along her neck in the five-plus decades of her life. So embarrassed that she was covering them up, waiting until she had the tens of thousands of dollars it would cost for a neck lift.

When my friend told me this story, I thought it was an isolated incident, an extreme example of what happens to women in our culture of beauty where youth is an asset and age is a liability.

But then a few days later, I was walking down the main street of Santa Barbara when a young man pulled me into a brightly-lit shop, sat me down on a white leather stool and began applying products to half of my face.

When he finished, he handed me a mirror and asked me to compare the two sides of my face. On the product-influenced side, the lines under my eyes were subtly less noticeable than on the other side.

I quickly did the math. Close to three thousand dollars a year to make a few lines around my eyes slightly less noticeable.

I told him no, thank you.

Just Been Diagnosed With Breast Cancer At 25

Hello all!

Tonight has been a surreal moment after finding a lump in left breast, and ultrasound identifying enlarged lymph nodes, it has sadly been confirmed that i have invasice ductal breast cancer – a tripple negative breast cancer in my case. I am 25 with no real family history, so it is all a bit shocking.

i however had prepared myself fully for this news, and when they told me, i felt strangely calm and ok with this. i am sure i will have my wobbly moments but i know i will fight this.

I am going to have a CT scan and mammogram as it is in my lymph nodes, to check if the cancer has spread anywhere else . But i will start chemo in jan, and have 6 rounds of it. Halfway through my chemo i will have a follow up, and decide what surgery i will be having/what will be neccssary. Then go from there.

I thought i would write on here, to hear from those experiencing similar things, and see how chemo was for you? and also to see if there is anyone my age on here going through the same thing?

Hi Hannah

So sorry to hear your news. It’s a total shock at any age but to be so young…

I am 41 and was diagnosed on Monday. I am having the same tests as you and feel terrified that they will say it has spread. I also have it in my lymph nodes. But I have been told that they act like sponges soaking up all the bad stuff. So we have got to be positive, although the waiting is excruciating.

Stay brave and I’m sending you lots of positive vibes and a cuddle too.

Xxxxx

Don’t Miss: Can Getting Hit In Your Breast Cause Cancer

Having Radiation To Your Chest

Women who were treated with radiation therapy to the chest for another cancer when they were younger have a significantly higher risk for breast cancer. This risk depends on their age when they got radiation. The risk is highest for women who had radiation as a teen or young adult, when the breasts are still developing. Radiation treatment in older women does not seem to increase breast cancer risk.

Myth #: If I Have Any Type Of Cancer In My Breast Tissue A Screening Mammogram Is Guaranteed To Find It

Fact: While annual mammograms are very important for women, there are limitations, says Dr. Zeb. This is mostly due to dense breast tissue the denser the breast, the more likely it is that a cancer will be hidden by the tissue. Normal breast tissue can both hide a cancer and mimic a cancer, says Dr. Zeb. In addition to an annual mammogram other imaging methods including a breast ultrasound and a breast MRI can be used for women with dense breast tissue.

Recommended Reading: Baking Soda And Breast Cancer

Unique Challenges For Young Adults

Breast cancer in young adults is just different. We are at a different phase of our lives and encounter unique challenges compared to older persons. These challenges may significantly impact our quality and length of life. Some of the unique challenges and issues young adults face:

• The possibility of early menopause and sexual dysfunction brought on by breast cancer treatment
• Fertility issues, because breast cancer treatment can affect a womanâs ability and plans to have children
• Many young women are raising small children while enduring treatment and subsequent side effects
• Young breast cancer survivors have a higher prevalence of psychosocial issues such as anxiety and depression13
• Questions about pregnancy after diagnosis
• Heightened concerns about body image, especially after breast cancer-related surgery and treatment
• Whether married or single, intimacy issues may arise for women diagnosed with breast cancer
• Challenges to financial stability due to workplace issues, lack of sufficient health insurance and the cost of cancer care

Dog Breast Cancer Prognosis: What To Expect

One of the most significant factors that affect your pets prognosis and life expectancy is early detection.

• Benign or malignant: A dog with a benign tumor has a far better prognosis than a malignant tumor. Benign tumors grow at a much slower rate and therefore are easier to treat.
• Size of the tumor: The earlier a tumor is detected, the smaller it will be in size, and the better your dogs chances of survival.
• Metastasis: The spread of malignant tumors can result in a significantly poorer prognosis. The spread of a carcinoma or malignant tumor to the lymph nodes usually indicates an unfortunately low survival rate . The lymph nodes connect to several major body organs, which could decrease your pets survival time should the cancer reach them.
• Ulceration: Ulceration is a sign of a highly malignant tumor, possibly inflammatory carcinoma . Its usually a sign of a poor prognosis.
• Age: The older the dog, the greater the possibility of developing multiple tumors, decreasing overall life expectancy.

Mammary cancer in dogs progresses in stages and the later your dog is treated, the lower its chance of survival.

Read Also: Is Breast Cancer Curable In The 3 Stage

What Is Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare and very aggressive disease in which cancer cells block lymph vessels in the skin of the breast. This type of breast cancer is called inflammatory because the breast often looks swollen and red, or inflamed.

Inflammatory breast cancer is rare, accounting for 1 to 5 percent of all breast cancers diagnosed in the United States. Most inflammatory breast cancers are invasive ductal carcinomas, which means they developed from cells that line the milk ducts of the breast and then spread beyond the ducts.

Inflammatory breast cancer progresses rapidly, often in a matter of weeks or months. At diagnosis, inflammatory breast cancer is either stage III or IV disease, depending on whether cancer cells have spread only to nearby lymph nodes or to other tissues as well.

Additional features of inflammatory breast cancer include the following:

• Compared with other types of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer tends to be diagnosed at younger ages.
• Inflammatory breast cancer is more common and diagnosed at younger ages in African American women than in white women.
• Inflammatory breast tumors are frequently hormone receptor negative, which means they cannot be treated with hormone therapies, such as tamoxifen, that interfere with the growth of cancer cells fueled by estrogen.
• Inflammatory breast cancer is more common in obese women than in women of normal weight.

With Stage 3c Breast Cancer And Absolutely Terrified

I’m not entirely sure where I’m going with this post.

I feel so incredibly alone and scared.

I was diagnosed with stage 3c breast cancer in Oct 2016 at the age of 27. I was just starting to get my life together and had just got engaged with my fiancee. And then everything turned on its head.

I’m almost done with chemo and initial scans showed a good response. But since Christmas I have been feeling several lymphnodes in my neck . They’re smallish but quite hard which makes me worry it’s mets. I have asked my oncs to have a look and they basically say that they can’t easily feel them so they’re most likely nothing. I realise it is unlikely that any cancer would have spread during chemo as initial scans showed it’s responding but I cannot stop worrying about it. I keep telling myself to not worry because if they are cancerous I’m screwed anyway and if they’re not then it’s useless worrying. But I still find myself crying and panicking every other day.

I’m praying every day that I will be OK but when I look at my fiancee I can barely keep myself from bursting into tears. We were supposed to have a great life ahead of us and instead I’ve dragged him into a life with cancer hanging over our heads. And even if I do survive, I may never have a family as my fertility is screwed. I feel incredibly guilty for everything he and my family have to go through.

Sorry for the long slightly incoherent post but I needed to get it off my chest somewhere.

I hope I’m not alone.

Don’t Miss: What Are The Chances Of Getting Breast Cancer Twice

When To Euthanize A Dog With Breast Cancer

Putting a beloved pet to sleep is never easy but must be considered once mammary cancer has spread or progressed too far.

If your pet shows any of the following signs, you may need to discuss possible euthanization with your veterinarian:

• Refusal to eat for extended periods
• Continual vomiting or diarrhea
• Lethargy
• Difficulty moving

If you notice any drastic negative change in your dogs behavior, monitor them carefully and consult your vet to discuss your options.

What Does Breast Cancer Look Like In A Female Dog

The primary sign of breast cancer in dogs is a lump, or lumps, in the mammary glands. Most dogs have between eight and ten nipples and typically develop about five mammary glands, with each teat having 7-16 duct openings . Mammary tumors usually start as tiny lumps but grow rapidly.

The tumors can be felt in or near the nipple, and the size and appearance of the lumps vary according to the type of tumor. Some may appear red, swollen, and inflamed, while other lumps could be hard or soft.

Also Check: Is Breast Cancer Curable In The 3 Stage