World Cancer Day: Why breast cancer is deadlier for younger women than elderly

World Cancer Day 2022: While breast cancer in younger women is not common, it could affect them more severely than elderly.

World Cancer Day 2022: Breast cancer in younger women is rare and only a few women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the age group of 40 years or less. However, when diagnosed, as per studies, breast cancer tends to be more aggressive in younger women compared to those who are 50-60 years old when diagnosed. The research published in Journal of Clinical Oncology says that women aged 40 or younger when diagnosed were 30% more likely to die from breast cancer than women who were age 51 to 60.

"Breast cancer can begin in the ducts, lobules or tissues of the breast. It usually affects women with sedentary lifestyles such as those who smoke, consume tobacco or alcohol, and suffer from conditions such as hypertension and obesity. Genetics is also another significant risk factor for breast cancer. Those with a family history of breast, ovarian or certain other types of cancer are at risk. The inheritance of the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene indicates that an individual may be susceptible to breast or ovarian cancer. Genetic disposition plays a very important role in the occurrence, detection, and diagnosis of breast cancer," says Dr. Rajeev Agarwal, Senior Director, Cancer Institute, Medanta.

Common symptoms of breast cancer

* Presence of a lump in the breast or armpit

* Pain and swelling in any part of the breast

* Redness and flakiness around the nipple area

* Pain in the nipple area

* Nipple discharge of blood

* Change in the shape and size of the breast

* Irritation of the skin.

How breast cancer affects young women

Breast cancer can affect both young and elderly women (those above the age of 50). In young women it tends to be aggressive and is usually caught at a later stage.

"This is because young women don’t undergo breast cancer screening or mammography at periodic frequencies. It is also harder to detect the cancer because younger women have denser breasts. The treatment administered through chemotherapy for young women can affect their fertility and chances of conception. Additionally surgical intervention might make intimacy difficult in the long run. Most importantly, because the cancer tends to be caught at a later stage in younger women, the survival rates are poorer. Therefore, the challenges faced by younger women diagnosed with breast cancer are unique," says Dr Agarwal.

How breast cancer affects elderly women

Breast cancer in the elderly is common because the risk of the disease increases with age. The presence of other health conditions like hypertension, diabetes, apart from menopause can be other risk factors. Therefore, treatment for the same is more challenging.

"Therapies like chemo and radiation cannot be administered too aggressively – they must be balanced out with the potential toxicity caused in the body, ensuring there is no adverse effect on any of the other organs. Unfortunately, if breast cancer is caught at a later stage in elderly women, the prognosis tends to be poor. The treatment also depends on how functional the patient is – are they able to move about, are they confined to a wheelchair, what their existing comorbidities are – all these play a very crucial role when charting out the treatment plan," says the expert.

Experts advise annual or bi-annual checkups to spot the disease earlier.