Intuitively, it makes sense that if you’re young, you’ve got better odds of beating breast cancer. But that’s not always the case. Women under the age of 45 have slightly poorer prognoses: Their five-year survival rate is only about 81 percent, compared with 85 percent of women in the 45-to-65 range, according to the American Cancer Society. “Younger women are more likely to have tumors that are hormone-negative, which are more aggressive,” explains Julia Smith, MD, director of the New York University Cancer Institute Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention Program.
Because most under-40 women don’t get annual mammograms, cases often aren’t caught until a woman or her doctor notices a lump, when the cancer is more advanced. But even when a woman finds something suspicious, she’s more likely to be blown off by her physician, Smith says.
If you do find a lump, don’t panic, but do call your OB-GYN right away. Screening tools such as a mammography and/or an ultrasound can help your gyno pinpoint whether it’s something that requires a biopsy. If she tells you not to worry, get a second opinion.
By Hallie Levine Sklar
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