Breast Cancer Affects Young Women, Too

QUESTION: I realize that breast cancer can occur in women of any age. What I do get annoyed about is [doctors] advising women 50 or older to have regular mammograms. I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 35 and nine months; I am now 37 and six months. There was no history of breast cancer in my family.

ANSWER: I can completely understand your frustration with all of the frequently quoted statistics that seem to ignore the young women who are also affected by breast cancer. Although breast cancer incidence increases with age, affecting women at an average age of 61, when it affects the younger woman, the diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and lingering side effects can be much more profound. The diagnosis of breast cancer can interfere with many important things in your life: whether and when you can have children, how to deal with early onset of menopause, genetic testing, getting the confidence that you have a future you can plan for. And, for single women, how to meet a new "prospect" and find the right time and place to tell them about your breast cancer experience.

—Marisa Weiss, M.D.

QUESTION: I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 35 and nine months; I am now 37 and six months. After being diagnosed, I have had a mastectomy, reconstruction, radiation and chemotherapy, and am currently taking tamoxifen (13 months now). Since I got breast cancer at quite an earlier age, does this mean I am more likely to have an occurrence of cancer or die earlier? I also had two out of 11 cancerous lymph nodes.

ANSWER: Breast cancer stinks. I'm so sorry that you had to go through all that you did. BUT, try to give yourself credit for all that you've dealt with and accomplished. Hopefully, you've discovered important things about yourself, your life, and the other people in your life that bring you meaning and enjoyment. Regarding your question on young age as a prognostic factor: There are many things that can impact on how well you do and for how long. Young age is just one factor, which can go along with a higher risk of recurrence. It may have to do with a tendency to have a more aggressive kind of cancer. And, it may be that you just have a lot more life ahead of you — and the longer you live, the more years there is a possibility that ANYTHING could happen, good or not so good. The treatment you had was very thorough, an aggressive way to fight back against your diagnosis. There are many reasons to believe that you will do well. I have many patients who had much more aggressive cancers than yours, who continue to do well over the years. It makes sense to say to yourself, "I'm going to do whatever I can to hope and plan and live for my future."

—Marisa Weiss, M.D.