Aggressive Breast Cancer Strains Found in Younger Patients

Breast cancer in young adults is a rare disease, with 5% of new patients diagnosed with the disease under the age of 40. It can be harder to diagnose, as breast tissue is denser at younger ages, making it harder for small lesions to be found by mammography, but the disease is also at a higher risk of being an aggressive strain. Kazuaki Takabe, MD, PhD, FACS, Chief of Breast Surgery at Roswell Park, explains the importance of young adult patients going to a comprehensive cancer center for their care in order to have access to genetic counseling, reconstructive surgery during treatment and fertility preservation options.