Are women sufficiently aware of breast cancer, responsible each year for more than 58,000 new cases and leading cause of death from cancer ? Not enough, according to a new study: the youngest women, between 25 and 34 years old, seem much less informed than their elders.
And yet, a particular cancer regularly affects women under the age of 40, i.e. younger women than for other types of breast cancer (the average of which is rather around 63 years old). Each year, 9,000 women are diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, an aggressive, rapidly progressing cancer. Nevertheless, detected early and well taken care of, it can be cured in 60% of cases.
But the study reveals a real lack of information among women about breast cancer: nearly 40% of women aged 25 to 34 are poorly informed about breast cancer compared to only 10% among those over 50. Among them, 48% say they feel misinformed about the symptoms and 34% think that breast cancer is a necessarily hereditary disease. Nevertheless, lifestyle measures (not smoking, monitoring weight and alcohol consumption) seem to be well known.
83% of 25-34 year olds are afraid of getting breast cancer
According to the study, the less women know about the disease, the greater the fear of being exposed to it. In total, they are 72% to be afraid of it. And this fear particularly affects the youngest: while 65% of women over 50 are afraid of being confronted with the disease one day, 83% of 25-34 year olds are afraid of it.
Despite this fear, the youngest women remain less likely to be followed by a specialized health professional in case of doubt. Indeed, around 30% of women under 35 would not automatically go to their doctor or gynecologist, but would wait or find out on their own via alternative sources of information. By way of comparison, only 10% of women over 50 would not immediately make an appointment with a healthcare professional.
Even more shocking: 30% of 25-34 year olds would never have performed a breast palpation by a health professional, an examination that is recommended from the age of 25 to detect any abnormalities.
“The results of this survey highlight the need to better inform young women about breast cancer in general. It is essential to remember the simple reflexes that make it possible to detect the disease as early as possible, thus increasing the chances of recovery.says Michel Joly, president of Gilead France, the company that commissioned the study.
Source :
- Gilead – Toluna Harris Interactive study: 30% of women under 35 would not consult a doctor immediately after noticing a breast lump, March 3, 2023
