Breast cancer by the age of 40 accounts for more than 40% of all cancers diagnosed among women. Breast cancer survival rates in women under 40 years of age are lower than those seen in older women regardless of disease staging or subtype. When developing treatment plans for young women diagnosed with breast cancer it is important to address fertility issues such as infertility and pregnancy as well as a deeper understanding of the psychosocial issues the patient may be experiencing. Breast development, conservation and reconstruction are also important issues to be considered as they pertain to body image and overall wellbeing. Breast cancer diagnosed at a younger age can present as more biologically aggressive and have worse outcomes than those diagnosed at a later age, which demonstrates the need for clinical trials tailored towards better understanding this age group’s unique biology and increasing overall survival for this young population.
Source: Anders C, Johnson R, Litton J, et al. Breast Cancer Before Age 40 Years. Semin Oncol. 2009; 36:237-249.
Running from her past: a case of rapidly progressive dyspnea on exertion.
Circulation. 2011 Nov 22;124(21):2355-61
Authors: McCabe JM, Bhave PD, McGlothlin D, Teerlink JR
PMID: 22105198 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
The cancer is over, now what?: Understanding risk, changing outcomes.
Cancer. 2011 May 15;117(10 Suppl):2250-7
Authors: Oeffinger KC, Tonorezos ES
About 26,000 adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 29 years are diagnosed with invasive cancer each year. Although >80% will survive beyond 5 years from their cancer diagnosis, many will develop serious morbidity or die prematurely secondary to health problems in part related to their cancer therapy. This article provides a brief overview of...
Unique characteristics of adolescent and young adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia, breast cancer, and colon cancer.
J Natl Cancer Inst. 2011 Apr 20;103(8):628-35
Authors: Tricoli JV, Seibel NL, Blair DG, Albritton K, Hayes-Lattin B
Each year in the United States, nearly 70 000 individuals between the ages of 15 and 40 years are diagnosed with cancer. Although overall cancer survival rates among pediatric and older adult patients have increased in recent decades, there has been little improvement in...
Fatigue, pain, and functional status during outpatient chemotherapy.
Oncol Nurs Forum. 2010 Mar;37(2):E114-23
Authors: Siefert ML
To examine the relationship of fatigue and pain with functional status and the pattern of the two symptoms' occurrence over time in individuals with cancer who were receiving outpatient chemotherapy. The aims were to describe the levels of fatigue and pain with functional status and the inter-relationships with each other and with demographic and clinical variables over...
Can't do this no more.
Patient Educ Couns. 2008 Jul;72(1):3-4
Authors: Jones K
PMID: 18436415 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Risks and benefits of soy isoflavones for breast cancer survivors.
Oncol Nurs Forum. 2004 Mar-Apr;31(2):249-63
Authors: Hu SA
To present state-of-the-art information about the risks and benefits of soy isoflavones for breast cancer survivors.
PMID: 15017441 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
[Chromosome and DNA analyses of peripheral blood lymphocyte from the quadruple cancer patient].
Gan To Kagaku Ryoho. 1992 Jul;19(7):1055-7
Authors: Yamaguchi H, Kaneda K, Aya T, Imai S, Yamawaki S, Moriuchi T
The patient with quadruple cancer was a 32 year-old female who had osteosarcoma, bilateral breast cancer and adenocarcinoma of the lung. When chromosomal analysis of peripheral blood lymphocyte was performed, two abnormal cells were detected among 42 cells examined. The first cell showed a...
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