Under 40 Statistics

Jenster

I was 39 when I was diagnosed two years ago. I am trying to write an article for a magazine, but I can't find any statistics as to how many BC diagnoses are for women under 40.

Does anybody have an idea where I could find this information?

Thanks,
Jen

Anonymous

probably the American Cancer Society keeps those statistics

JerseyGemini

Hi -- You should check youngsurvival.org. It is an organization that focuses on young women under 40 with breast cancer and they have all stats on there. I believe 11,000 per year under 40 last I heard but there is much more information on that site. I was 30 at diagnoses and just about 35 when I got bone mets.

Teresa

BethNY

According to YSC, nearly 15,000 women under age 40 will be diagnosed and close to 1500 of those women will die.
Younger women tend to be dx with more advanced cancers, b/c they aren't being regularly screened.

Jenster

Thank you, ladies. According to the ACS, 10% of all BC diagnoses are in women under 40. Which means their stats for 2006 say approximately 21,500 young diagnoses. I know just a few years prior to that the stats said 5%. Either way, it's much too many.

I'll check out the youngsurvivors.

Fit999

Lame! Lame! Lame site, youngsurvivors.org. Its just a search engine and most of the sites are sponsored by drug companies. And I got popups of bikini women.

I was 40 when I was dx and in great health w/no history. And it was grade 3.

Good luck w/your article.
Issa

JerseyGemini

It's youngsurvivaL.org. you typed youngsurvivorS.org. Below is the information from their statistics page. They also have active message boards with all young women or those diagnosed young.


Statistics

Despite the prevailing opinion that young women don't get breast cancer, the reality is that they can and they do. In fact, one in every 229 women between the ages of 30 and 39 will be diagnosed with breast cancer within the next 10 years(1). Following are some additional startling facts about breast cancer in young women:

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in young women ages 15-54 (2).
More than 11,100 women under age 40 will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and more than 1,100 will die(3).
There are more than 250,000 women living in the United States today who were age 40 or under when they were diagnosed with breast cancer(4).
Young women's cancers are generally more aggressive and result in lower survival rates.
The five-year survival rate for young women with breast cancer is 82 percent, which is lower than their post-menopausal counterparts(5).
Young women with breast cancer struggle with many issues that their post-menopausal counterparts don't face, including: the possibility of early menopause, pregnancy after diagnosis, generally more advanced cancers at diagnosis, and higher mortality rates.
As the incidence of young women with breast cancer is much lower than in older women, young women are an underrepresented population in many research studies.
The need for more attention and studies on this underserved population is vital. The Young Survival Coalition is the only international non-profit organization dedicated to the concerns and issues unique to young women and breast cancer. Through action, advocacy and awareness, the YSC seeks to educate the medical, research, breast cancer and legislative communities and persuade them to address breast cancer in women 40 and under. Finally, the YSC serves as a point of contact for young women living with breast cancer.



1 NCI, SEER data updated 4/05

2 National Cancer Institute 2005 Fact Book

3 American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer Facts and Figures 2005-2006

4 Figure based on the 2000 US Census data

5 American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer Facts and Figures 2005-2006

6 American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer Facts and Figures 2005-2006

BethNY

Issa the YSC is one of the best sites out there...
you types the WRONG address.
www.youngsurvival.org

Jenster

I went to the YSC site and it was extremely helpful. And the statistic it mentioned was an ACS statistic. So I went back to ACS and I found where it said 5%. It's a bit confusing because the ACS published a paper that said 10%, but according to all their other data it's 5%. So that's what I went with.

Thank you all very much for your help. I submitted the article this morning and now I'm just waiting to hear if they're going to publish.

Fit999

Oh Beth and everyone,
Im so sorry, your right I did go to the wrong site. Thats what I get for going on a rant on a website. Youngsurvival.org looks much better.

sheepish grin,
Issa

Methusala

Did you try google to look for statistics?
or maybe ask your own doctor?
just some ideas.

Jenster

Thank you. I did end up finding everything I needed (and then some) at the American Cancer Society.

Great ideas, though!

Methusala

ya know.. I'm rereading all this, and I thought the suggested site was really stupid, too. So I think I was at the wrong site as well. I couldn't have imagined why someone from this board would have sent me to that place LOL
I'm glad I'm not the only one with TYPO issues!!

whatalife

So Jen, what is the statistic? I'm curious as I was just at my genetics counseling session this past monday and my genetics counselor told me that 1-2% of the population under age 50 get breast cancer. Just curious.
Denise