Breast Cancer in Younger Women: What You Need to Know

(Tina Dawn/ VM Med) — It’s a long-standing myth that breast cancer only affects older women. Yes, breast cancer more commonly occurs in middle-aged and older women, with the median age of diagnosis being 62, but that doesn’t mean that a breast cancer diagnosis is unheard of in women much younger. This is why being proactive about breast health at any age is so important.

While a small number of women diagnosed with breast cancer are younger than 45, that doesn’t mean that younger women are protected from a breast-cancer diagnosis. Women with a BRCA gene mutation, for example, are more likely to develop breast cancer, develop it at a younger age, and pass it down to their children. Having this information and knowing that the possibility, although slim, is still very real, allows women to remain empowered and aware, ensuring that they don’t miss the signs and remain their own best health advocates.

There have been incidents when healthcare professionals told women that they were too young for breast cancer, and they were later diagnosed with and died from the disease. These cases are sad reminders that while not common, younger women also run the risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Breast Cancer and Women

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian women (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers) and the second leading cause of death from cancer. Breast cancer can also occur in men, but it is not very common.

It is estimated that in 2024, a total of 30,500 Canadian women were diagnosed with breast cancer. This represents 25 percent of all new cancer cases in women in 2024. From those numbers, a total of 5,500 Canadian women will die from breast cancer. On average, 84 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every day. That means that 1 in 8 Canadian women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, and 1 in 36 will die from it.

With all this in mind, Breast Cancer Canada is currently advocating to lower the national recommended age for mammograms to 40 through self-referral programs, ensuring no woman is left behind due to their age or a lack of primary care.

Breast Cancer Among Younger Women

The medical community is trying to understand the increase in cancer rates among younger women, but researchers say the reasons for rising incidences are complex.

A recent Harvard Medical School article cites a variety of possible factors, including lifestyle. “Certainly, there are changes in lifestyle that could impact the incidence of breast cancer — things like deferring childbearing to later in life, increasing obesity rates, and people walking and moving about less. We know that exercise is protective for many types of cancers, but certainly for breast cancer,” says Laura Collins, Harvard Medical School professor of pathology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and physician-researcher specializing in breast disease

Genetic and environmental factors also need to be investigated further. Recent concerns about microplastics are also being investigated.

Educating younger women to understand that they are not immune to a possible breast cancer diagnosis ensures they remain aware and alert to any changes in their bodies. It also equips them to challenge any health professionals who may insist they are too young to have breast cancer, allowing them to dismiss any worrying signs.

Because we tend to think of breast cancer as a cancer of older and postmenopausal women, when young women present with a breast mass, there’s a tendency to believe that it’s something benign and unlikely to be cancer. 

If you find a lump in your chest and suspect that something is wrong, you should insist that you are sent for imaging to confirm that your lump is indeed benign. It’s not enough to be reassured by a health professional that it’s most likely not breast cancer because of your young age. Some types of breast cancers in young women don’t present with typical symptoms and are often very aggressive and potentially too hard to treat by the time they are diagnosed properly. 

The Unique Challenges Young Women With Breast Cancer Face

The biology of breast cancer can often be different and far more aggressive in young women. As a result, they face higher chances of a recurrence, and their treatment can be more complex.

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), though rare, disproportionately affects younger women. It often doesn’t appear as a lump, the usual tell-tale sign of breast cancer, making it harder to detect. Instead, the symptoms of IBC often appear as an infection, with redness and swelling, nipple discharge, and skin dimpling.

Two specific and more aggressive breast cancers that younger women face are: 

• Pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) – Occurs during pregnancy or one year postpartum. About 10 percent of women with breast cancer under 40 are diagnosed with PABC. 
• Postpartum breast cancer (PPBC) – Diagnosed within 5 to 10 years after childbirth.

In addition to the specific risk factors, young women facing breast cancer are also dealing with young families or the desire for one in the future, raising concerns about how their treatment may affect their fertility and pregnancy or whether breast-cancer treatments will create any long-term side effects on their body.

Many young women battling breast cancer are often not believed, and their fears are dismissed until, in many cases, it’s far too late for successful treatment. Often, they are diagnosed at an advanced stage since they’re not part of regular mammogram screenings, and as a result, their cancer requires more aggressive treatment.

Dense Breasts Canada (DBC), a non-profit organization that aims to raise awareness and advocate for optimal breast cancer screening, published a photo essay, Not Too Young, which examines the issue of breast cancer in women who are believed to be “too young” for the disease and therefore “too young” to be screened. “Every woman in this series had to fight against the belief they were too young, fight for attention from their doctors, fight for diagnostic testing, and it turns out, were fighting for their lives.”

Breast Screening Vigilance

Regardless of age, every woman should do regular breast self-examinations and go to her doctor if she notices something unusual. Vigilance at all times is the best way to protect your health. With early detection, breast cancer has a very high survival rate.

While breast cancer rates among young women have been increasing, the rates of death have been decreasing precisely because of better detection, diagnosis and treatment options. You are your best health advocate and know your body best. Don’t hesitate to seek a second opinion if your concerns are dismissed or downplayed.

VM Med’s Breast Cancer Center

It’s important always to remember that breast cancer symptoms should never be ignored just because the person experiencing them is young. VM Med’s Breast Centre is dedicated to caring for every aspect of our patients’ breast health needs. 

As the largest private breast center in Canada and an internationally recognized leader in breast cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment, our specialists conduct comprehensive exams, including imaging exams and biopsies, within our multidisciplinary clinic. These exams can be conducted in a single, time-saving visit.

Our team of experts assesses each case of breast cancer and works with you to create a personalized course of treatment that prioritizes your health and comfort throughout this process.

Our services include breast imaging, breast biopsy, breast surgery, breast cancer staging, breast oncology, and breast cancer genetic testing.

For more information on your screening, you can read our extensive archive of VM Med blogs, including Breast Cancer: Early Detection & What Happens At Each Stage and How to Perform a Breast Self-Examination.

Still have questions? Book a consultation with our experts.