Any woman under the age of 40 who develops breast cancer is considered a young victim of the disease, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Breast cancer in younger women is not only more difficult to diagnose, but is also more aggressive. Younger women may have different risk factors than older women.
Dense Breast Tissue
The Cleveland Clinic explains that regular mammograms are not recommended for younger women due to the composition of their breast tissue. Every woman has two types of tissue; fatty and dense. A mammogram can detect abnormalities in fatty breast tissue; however, it is more difficult to spot these abnormalities in women with a majority of dense tissue. Younger women tend to have more dense than fatty tissue, making a mammogram a less effective screening tool.
Family History of Breast Cancer
Both the Cleveland Clinic and the American Cancer Society agree that women under the age of 40 with a family history of breast cancer, especially one that involves a mother, sister or daughter, face a greater risk of developing the disease themselves. The American Cancer Society elaborates, stating that having one first-degree relative increases a woman's chances by two, while having two first-degree relatives increases her odds by five.
Personal History of Breast Cancer
MayoClinic.com explains that women with a personal history of breast cancer have higher chances of developing the cancer a second time, either in the other breast or in another spot on the first breast. This differs from typical breast cancer recurrence, as the cancer normally appears in another area of the body or in the same spot of the original breast.
Previous Radiation Treatment
Individuals who underwent radiation to the chest for a different cancer, such as Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, face a greater risk of developing cancer. This radiation needs to have taken place either during childhood or young adulthood, and the risk varies according to the age at which the child received the radiation treatment, according to the American Cancer Society.
The risk is at its greatest during adolescence, the time when the breasts are developing. The Society adds that the risk factor is not increased for women over the age of 40 undergoing radiation treatments.
Genes
Genes play a significant role in a young woman's risk for developing breast cancer. The two most common genes responsible for this increase are BRCA1 and BRCA2. Under normal circumstances, these genes help prevent breast cancer, making proteins that keep the cells from growing abnormally. When the genes are mutated and a woman inherits either gene from either parent, her risk for developing breast cancer increases by as much as 80 percent, the American Cancer Society explains. Cancer stemming from these genes tends to occur in younger women, and when it does, it is typically more aggressive and affects both breasts.
