Am I too young for a breast cancer test?
Jul 18, 2010
IT is encouraging that young people like you are taking an active role in ensuring that they stay healthy. Breast cancer is quite rare in people your age. Only two-and-a-half percent of patients with breast cancer are below the age of 35 years.
Ask the doctor with Dr. Gloria Ndagire
Dear Doctor,
A week ago, I had pain in my left breast and it was not due to my periods. I went to see a doctor who gave me some medications and the pain subsided. I asked him if I could get checked for breast cancer, but he refused, claiming I was too young (21) to have the test. I am worried because the pain seems to be coming back.
Lydia
Dear Lydia,
IT is encouraging that young people like you are taking an active role in ensuring that they stay healthy. Breast cancer is quite rare in people your age. Only two-and-a-half percent of patients with breast cancer are below the age of 35 years.
Within the 20-24 age group, the incidence is only 1.4 per 100,000.This means that the possibility that you have breast cancer at 21 years is small.
However, there are exceptions, especially among individuals with a strong family history. This means that you are more likely to have breast cancer if one of your close female relatives suffered from the disease.
Screening for breast cancer in younger women is more difficult and there seems to be no good way to do it.
Self-examination is usually encouraged and a trained nurse/doctor can teach you how to do this. This is thought to be a good practice since it is more likely that you will discover an abnormal lump if you have an idea about how your normal breast feels like.
The breast tissue also changes with the menstrual cycle and this is normal. The breasts are more likely to feel lumpy during your period.
The tests used to screen breast cancer in the older age group may not be useful at your age, but alternative tests like a breast ultrasound and examination of some of the fluid or tissue from the lump may be useful.
Most lumps at your age are unlikely to be cancer. The common causes of lumps in younger women are cysts and fibrous tissue in the breast. They are harmless, but can be treated. Discuss with your doctor.
Dear Doctor,
A week ago, I had pain in my left breast and it was not due to my periods. I went to see a doctor who gave me some medications and the pain subsided. I asked him if I could get checked for breast cancer, but he refused, claiming I was too young (21) to have the test. I am worried because the pain seems to be coming back.
Lydia
Dear Lydia,
IT is encouraging that young people like you are taking an active role in ensuring that they stay healthy. Breast cancer is quite rare in people your age. Only two-and-a-half percent of patients with breast cancer are below the age of 35 years.
Within the 20-24 age group, the incidence is only 1.4 per 100,000.This means that the possibility that you have breast cancer at 21 years is small.
However, there are exceptions, especially among individuals with a strong family history. This means that you are more likely to have breast cancer if one of your close female relatives suffered from the disease.
Screening for breast cancer in younger women is more difficult and there seems to be no good way to do it.
Self-examination is usually encouraged and a trained nurse/doctor can teach you how to do this. This is thought to be a good practice since it is more likely that you will discover an abnormal lump if you have an idea about how your normal breast feels like.
The breast tissue also changes with the menstrual cycle and this is normal. The breasts are more likely to feel lumpy during your period.
The tests used to screen breast cancer in the older age group may not be useful at your age, but alternative tests like a breast ultrasound and examination of some of the fluid or tissue from the lump may be useful.
Most lumps at your age are unlikely to be cancer. The common causes of lumps in younger women are cysts and fibrous tissue in the breast. They are harmless, but can be treated. Discuss with your doctor.