Breast cancer in young women

Abstract

Breast cancer is an uncommon disease in women under the age of 40 years, reportedly accounting for 7.5% of reported cases. Delay in diagnosis is attributable to a clinically low index of suspicion, difficulty in examining dense and nodular breasts in younger women, and less frequently performed screening mammography. Genetic mutations should be suspected in women with breast cancer who are under the age of 30 years. In relation to older women, younger women have more adverse pathologic features and have a poorer prognosis. Younger age, per se, is not a contraindication to breast-conserving surgery. In node-negative young women, the benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy need to be considered in relation to the short- and long-term risks of treatment. A strong support system should be in place to deal with the adverse psychosocial impact of the disease.