I am glad I began this thread. JaneRA I know is very knowledgeble in this field and I new she would respond with hard facts, thankyou Jane! Interesting what you said about the over 70’s, that’s really terrible, almost like they have become worthless at that point and no need to screen when stats show there is a def need.
I did suspect that the computer literate would be younger so disproportional on this site, however, when you hear people in the profession claiming they are seeing more younger women we have to ask, are stats up to date?
Also, I agree that this illness is devastating no matter what your age, but it is particularly cruel to young women and their young families, particularly if their BC is very aggressive, or creates infertility problems. It is a mine field with many contributing factors such as life style, genetics as well as age.
Even if only 20% of all cases are under 50, that is still 8,000 young women, not a drop in the ocean is it?
I can understand that it is a 80/20 split but I am sure stats will soon prove that there are more younger women with bc. At the infant school, there are 3 women out of 120 children of which some are siblings have bc. In the Junior school of 500 and lots of siblings there are 6 of us. In my old job - 3 out of 10 of us have bc in the last 2 years alone. I was diagnosed just over 2 years ago and rarely saw young women. Now there are at least 8 out of 40 in a clinic who are under 50 which i suppose is 20% but feels like it is increasing. I feel it is environmental as it seems to me that at my hospital the ones I see are in the fall out zone of the oil refinery and you rarely see anyone in the other parts of the city which are not in the fall out zone.
I agree with the comments about youngeer women being more computer literate so I think it does give the impression there are more younger women.
Think I will be dead before it is proved the environment is the cause of bc and other cancers that I’ve had friends die of already.
Kate
I had annual mammograms from age 40 as part of a trial to see how successful screening was for the under 50s. I suspected that I might have been selected because my Mum had BC in her mid 50s but could be completely wrong. Nothing was ever found then but now I have been dignosed in my mid 50s due to the normal screening programme. In the back of my mind, I can’t help but wonder whether all of the mammograms I have had didn’t really do me any good and may have contributed to the development of the cancer now. My daughters will need early screening because of the family history and I hope that they will get MRI scans rather than mammograms.
I know when I was diagnosed 18 months ago at 42yrs I thought I was young, I had mammogram and scan that came back as benign, I then had FNA which was just suspicious, core biopsy that was still suspicious and not until lumpectomy, was verified as cancer, then back for WLE, I had 4 children before age 25, first child couple of days after 18th birthday, I breast fed them all till they were 2yrs of age and my Consultant was even shocked when it was cancer, I do not trust the mammograms or scans and am scared they will miss something even though there is no family history of bc, I agree though so many younger women are being diagnosed, I have been assured that my daughters will start being screened from earlier than when I was diagnosed and I really want them to have MRI scans rather than mammograms because if my Consultant had just taken notice of my mammogram and scan being benign and not done further tests I may not have been here now, I do have alot of microcalcifications that they are keeping a close eye on but the fear is always there.
Really good topic, I have been wondering the same having been diagnosed 4 weeks ago aged 24!! We were told about checking at school but at 16 you think you are so young. I didn’t ever check my breasts, but for once I am thankful I am only a B cup as I found the lump by accident when lying on my front, I have no idea how long it had been there. I have now had a bi lat Mastectomy last week as then subsequently found 2 more lumps, I had no idea.
I think it needs to be a serious topic at schools and with doctors, as this really is something that happens to people under 50!! Not sure if screening would work, well not with mammograms as young breast tissue is to dense to show any lumps, none of mine showed up on a mammogram when they did it. They said it wouldn’t but had to check. Maybe more literature or information at doctors about it happening to young people.
My partner was diagnosed at 25, she never used to check her breasts, i noticed a lump a very long time before she eventually went to get it checked but by then it was too late.
I think personally alot of more younger women are being diagnosed as well as the older lady. I do strongly feel that it needs to be educated in schools how to check properly. One of my friends has been diagnosed with a lymphoma after discovering a lump on her breast.
Hi good on you for starting this topic!!!
im 30 was dianosed two weeks ago since had partial mastectomy awaiting more results to see if it is in lymp nodes…
like some of ye when i went to doc she said it was a cyst, now in fairness i got apt with consultant within a week and the same week had teats and was diagnosed and operated on the same week.
my cosultant said that it is not very common to treat young women but not uncommon either he said he treated people in their twenties…
well the ? i have is why the hell are gps not telling us to be more aware of this when it seems to be happening more in young women??
i wonder why we are getting it so young? is it conrtaceptives, what we eat, what is it id like to no
hi
i’m 45 (and so still young -just - as defined on this website!) and was diagnosed about a month ago. i had a mammogram 8 months ago. when you look back now you can see that there is micro calcification which probably should have been checked. but you can’t really detect the tumor because of all the fibrous stuff. that is the problem with using mammograms on premenopausal women i think - it is really hard to make out what’s going on. my doctor also thought it was nothing and so the consultant initially (as with others, the lump was mobile).
i wonder if detection technology is changing as fast as the treatment technology? i guess there might be less investment in that area…and there really does seem to be problem with generating funds for researching causes…that isn’t where the money is unfortunately. and i heard that people who donate to cancer research are often keen that the money goes on treatment rather than looking at cause although maybe that isn’t right. anyway, it does seem like an area where there should be lots of public funds spent at this point.
x
joannafinch