Young women at risk of breast cancer
The Marie Curie Institute is determined to raise awareness of this fact in their yearly "Pink October” breast cancer campaign. The number may be low, but it is still a reality, and one that many of the general public, even healthcare professionals, have yet to grasp.
What’s more, monitoring methods are not the same when first symptoms or unexpected weight gain occur. This group of women also do not have the same systematic screening as women over 50. According to the French League against Cancer, 10% of breast cancer cases occur in women under 40, with the incidence progressively growing up to the age of 65 years old.
Apart from hereditary factors, the risk of cancer can increase due to hormones. In today’s society of pregnancies in later life and periods occurring at ever younger ages, the period of hormonal impregnation is longer than ever. In addition, other, non-woman-specific factors like smoking, alcohol consumption and lack of physical activity also play a role. Being aware of all these factors can contribute to breast cancer prevention in women as young as 25 years old.