While breast cancer deaths have dropped 44% over the last 35 years ― treatments have prevented approximately 517,900 breast cancer deaths, the American Cancer Society said ― the number of people who are diagnosed, particularly among younger women, is increasing.
Luckoski, who was 33 when she was diagnosed, had already been struggling with fertility issues and pursued in vitro fertilization (IVF) with her husband, Jamie Luckoski.
“I don’t think I’m going to be able to be pregnant just because of how reactive my cancer is to estrogen and progesterone,” said Luckoski, who underwent a double mastectomy and multiple rounds of chemotherapy and immunotherapy at the Kettering Health Cancer Center.
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
While they were able to complete the process of egg retrieval and fertilization prior to her cancer treatment, their family will likely have to pursue a surrogate or adoption to build their family, she said.
“I’ve really been trying to just take it as it comes,” Luckoski said.
Younger patients seen earlier
The incidence of breast cancer increased by 1% annually from 2012 to 2021, with the steepest increase in women younger than 50, according to the American Cancer Society. The incidence in Asian American and Pacific Islander women of any age increased between 2.5% and 2.7% per year.
“There are multiple cancers ― and the other one that comes to mind is colorectal cancer ― that we’re starting to see it at a higher frequency amongst younger patients,” said Dr. Thomas Heck, a breast surgical oncologist with Premier Health.
Doctors don’t have exact answers for why that is, he said, but diet and increased surveillance and screenings among at-risk patients likely play a role.
“Patients who are seen, who have a family history, are more likely to start investigating to see if they are at higher risk or not,” Heck said. “Patients who maybe years ago were not getting breast imaging, fortunately are getting breast imaging now.”
For younger patients who may be considering having children or trying to get pregnant, there is the possibility of egg retrieval and preservation. Depending on the treatment and type of cancer, though, it may not be possible.
“There’s a big discussion that is held between the patient, the surgeon, and the medical oncologist to decide if that patient is interested in potentially having children later,” Heck said. “We talk about egg preservation and even with that, depending upon the treatment that they get, it may or may not allow for that.”
Mother, daughter face nearly back-to-back cancer diagnoses
Kelly Hughes of Dayton was 39 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“I was terrified,” Hughes said.
She had just watched her mother, Marva Hughes, go through her own breast cancer diagnosis and treatment about a year prior.
“I didn’t want her to know. I didn’t want to tell her. I didn’t want to break her heart, in a sense, because a mother worries about their child, they want to protect their child,” Kelly Hughes said.
Their family celebrated Marva’s 70th birthday before Kelly told her mother about her diagnosis. The news devastated Marva, she said.
“I was terrified, because as a mother, you don’t want your children to go through tragedies like that,” said Marva, who spoke with this news organization two years ago about her breast cancer experience.
Kelly was able to get screened and catch her cancer early because of her mother’s breast cancer history.
“It allowed me to test early because I had a risk factor,” Kelly said.
She went on to have the same care team as her mother at Miami Valley Hospital North.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that women at average risk for breast cancer get a mammogram every two years starting at age 40 and continuing until age 74.
For women at a higher risk of breast cancer, the American Cancer Society recommends they start getting mammograms at age 30.
“We typically don’t start getting mammograms until 40. Had I not advocated for myself and asked for a mammogram, who knows what or where I would be today. I just turned 40 this year,” Kelly said.
“The best advice that I could give someone is always advocate for yourself, regardless of what the standards are, regardless of what your doctor may say, if you feel that something is wrong, always advocate for yourself.”
Breast cancer facts
- In 2024, an estimated 310,720 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women, and approximately 42,250 women are expected to die from the disease.
- While rare, this year an estimated 2,790 men will also be diagnosed with breast cancer, and 530 men will die from the disease.
- Breast cancer deaths among Native American women have remained unchanged over the past three decades.
- Native American women have 10% lower breast cancer incidence than white women, but 6% higher mortality.
- Only 51% of Native American women 40 years or older had a mammogram in the past two years compared to 68% of white women.
- Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Hispanic women.
- Breast cancer in women under 50 years has increased in Asian American and Pacific Islander women by 50% since 2000, surpassing the rate in young Hispanic, Native American, and Black women to become the highest rate alongside white women (both 86 per 100,000).
- Black women have a 38% higher breast cancer mortality rate than white women, despite a 5% lower incidence.
ACS study
To address ongoing cancer disparities in Black women, the ACS launched the VOICES of Black Women study in May 2024. The study aims to enroll over 100,000 Black women in the U.S. between the ages of 25 and 55 from diverse backgrounds and income levels who have not been diagnosed with cancer to better understand cancer risk and outcomes. For more information and to participate, visit voices.cancer.org.
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