BOSTON — May 5, 2020, is a day that will forever stick out in Christine Danielson’s mind. It’s the day she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“Immediately I had tears in my eyes, and I started crying,” said Danielson. “The first words out of my mouth were, ‘Am I going to be okay’?”
At just 34 years old and battling stage 3 breast cancer, the Norton mother of three found herself part of a growing group – younger women diagnosed with breast cancer.
“It’s definitely significant statistically, it’s about a half a percent per year increase over the past two decades or so,” said Dr. Ann Partridge, an oncologist at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. “It seems like a small amount, but when you think about the large proportion of young women in our society, it’s actually a large number.”
Dr. Partridge said there are a number of factors that could be contributing to this trend.
“One of the things that we think is that it’s about both some of the societal changes that we see and that women are waiting longer to have their babies, and that can be associated with a higher risk of breast cancer,” said Dr. Partridge. “Weight gain after the age of 18, being less physically active, as well as some of the hormonal exposures we may have, we think that may be contributing to some of the increased rates we’re seeing in our youngest patients.”
Not only are case numbers rising in younger women, but Dr. Partridge also says their cases tend to be more severe.”It is more common for younger women to be diagnosed with a more advanced stage of breast cancer which is both because of their not being screened typically, and they tend to get more aggressive subtypes of breast cancer which just grow faster,” said Dr. Partridge.
In addition to a serious diagnosis, many young women diagnosed with breast cancer face added challenges that may not be as much of a factor for older breast cancer patients. “Things like trying to finish school, or launch a career, or find a partner,” said Dr. Partridge. “Fertility is one of the biggest ones.”
These unique challenges and hurdles inspired Dr. Partridge to create the Young and Strong program, aimed at connecting young breast cancer patients with each other and supporting them through their treatment journeys.
“It’s nice to know you’re not alone,” said Danielson, who hopes to give back as a mentor through the Young and Strong program one day. “Being so young and not being able to relate to a lot of people going through something like this has been challenging, but having the outreach and support makes [it easier]. The amount of outreach and support that my family has gotten over this past year and a half has been nothing short of amazing.”
Dr. Partridge said women need to be their own advocates. “If you know something isn’t right, you know a lump, a bump, a pain, a rash, nipple discharge or swelling under the arm, go to your doctor,” said Partridge. “Seek medical attention, get it evaluated, just stick with it if it doesn’t feel right.”
Dr. Partridge said there are things people can do to assess their risk of developing breast cancer and potentially catch it earlier, resulting in a less advanced diagnosis.
“Our biggest clue is family history or whether a person has a higher risk of having a known hereditary predisposition,” said Dr. Partridge. “So, communicating with one’s family, finding out whether or not mom or grandma or somebody’s aunt had breast cancer at a young age, and then talking to your doctor about it. I think that’s the best thing women can do for themselves.”
“It’s really scary when you hear those words ‘you have kept breast cancer’ or you have cancer or you have anything it’s the last thing you think you’re going to hear,” Danielson said. “I want to let people know that there is hope, that there’s light at the end of the tunnel.”
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