UOTTAWA
Researchers highlights need for immediate shift in public health policy as early detection is key to reducing breast cancer death and complications.
Rates of breast cancer in women under the age of 50 are rising in Canada according to a study which showed an increase in breast cancer diagnoses among females in their Twenties, Thirties, and Forties.
Led by Dr. Jean Seely, this studynorth_eastexternal link published in the Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal reviewed breast cancer cases over 35 years to shed light on trends in breast cancer detection in Canada.
“Breast cancer in younger women tends to be diagnosed at later stages and is often more aggressive,” said Dr. Seely, Head of Breast Imagingnorth_eastexternal link at The Ottawa Hospital and Professor in the Department of Radiology at the University of Ottawa. “It’s alarming to see rising rates among women in their Twenties and Thirties because they are not regularly screened for breast cancer.”
Risk increases with age
Using data from the National Cancer Incidence Reporting System (1984-1991) and the Canadian Cancer Registry (1992-2019) at Statistics Canada, the research team, which included Larry Ellison from Statistics Canada and Dr. Anna Wilkinson, an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, looked at all women aged 20 to 54 who were diagnosed with breast cancer.
Their findings included:
- For women in their Twenties, there were 3.9 cases per 100,000 people between 1984 and 1988, compared to 5.7 cases per 100,000 between 2015 and 2019 for a 45.5% increase.
- For women in their Thirties, there were 37.7 cases per 100,000 people between 1984 and 1988, compared to 42.4 cases per 100,000 between 2015 and 2019 for a 12.5% increase.
- For women in their Forties, there were 127.8 cases per 100,000 people between 1984 and 1988, compared to 139.4 cases per 100,000 between 2015 and 2019 for a 9.1% increase.
The study’s results show the importance of targeting younger women in breast cancer awareness campaigns and screening programs. Most public health efforts focus on women over 50, but these findings suggest that younger women are increasingly at risk and may benefit from earlier and more frequent screenings.
