Usage Rights: All content is available for editorial use with attribution to El Camino Health
Mountain View, CA (Oct. 7, 2024) – As breast cancer rates continue to rise among women under 40, experts say early detection is key, especially because the types of breast cancer that commonly develop in younger women can be aggressive and difficult to treat at advanced stages. Several medical societies recommend women of average risk to begin annual screening mammograms at the age of 40, but Tran Ho, DO, FSSO, a breast surgical oncologist at El Camino Health, says a comprehensive review of individual risk factors is necessary to determine if screenings should begin earlier.
“Knowledge is power. And the more that we know and understand about our risks, the more we can do to get ahead of cancer by diagnosing and treating it early,” said Dr. Ho. “Screenings are a big part of that, and in order to determine what types of screenings are needed at what time, we need to take lifestyle, environmental, health history and familial risk factors into account.”
Family history and genetic factors may increase personal breast cancer risk. These include genetic mutations, family members diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer, particularly if diagnosed at a young age, male breast cancer or Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry. Recent studies have also shown an increase in incidence of breast cancer among Asian American subgroups.
“The rise in breast cancer among Asian-American women is a trend we’ve seen in recent years, and it’s something that’s showing up across several Asian ethnicities,” Dr. Ho said. “More research is needed to examine the reasons behind it, but it’s something that’s important to know as we’re assessing risk.”
Risk stratification can both guide when screenings should begin and also the type of imaging screening study that should be performed. In addition to mammograms, a breast MRI may be necessary for those at high risk. And for the one-third of women with dense breast tissue, their healthcare provider may recommend a breast ultrasound in addition to a mammogram. Depending on your family history, your healthcare provider may also recommend genetic testing to determine if you have certain genetic mutations that lead to a high risk for developing breast cancer.
If breast cancer is detected at a very early stage, the five-year survival rate is nearly 99%. Early detection also offers more treatment options that have fewer side effects and result in improved quality of life in survivorship. Dr. Ho says, whatever the treatment plan, it’s important to find an oncology care team that you trust and feel comfortable partnering with to make decisions.
“I treat my patients as a whole. And there are a lot of different components that I consider when I’m offering treatment options for patients,” Dr. Ho said. “We talk about the biology of the cancer, of course, but we also talk about what the patient prefers as they go through treatment and their desires about their life after cancer.”
