YOUNG women who are diagnosed with breast cancer face far greater challenges in fighting the disease.
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Although a relatively small number of women are diagnosed in their 20s it is the interruption to career, family plans and body image that can take an emotional toll.
“Young women in their 30s may have put babies off, or been diagnosed after they have had one baby and that type of predicament can cause emotional stress, added to their concerns about undergoing treatment,” McGrath Foundation breast care nurse Sue Kuter said.
Orange BreastScreen nurse counsellor Meg Hamilton said a cancer diagnosis in a younger woman meant the cancer was often more aggressive.
“That can mean a double mastectomy,” she said.
“For young women who are already in a relationship, or perhaps starting a relationship, the impact on their body image can be quite significant and undermine their self esteem.”
Added to the strain of breast cancer treatment for younger women are the side effects, such as the impact of chemotherapy on a woman’s fertility.
Some forms of chemotherapy can also initiate the early onset of menopause in young women.
Radiotherapy is often not recommended for a pregnant woman, due to the risks to the unborn baby, so some women who are diagnosed during pregnancy choose to have a mastectomy.
“But its not all doom and gloom,” Mrs Kuter said.
“We have come such a long way in the way we treat cancer and survival rates. We have some fantastic treatments available.
The majority of women diagnosed with cancer are aged over 50.
To make an appointment at BreastScreen, which is located at Orange hospital, call 13 20 50.