While breast cancer has traditionally been associated with older age groups, leading experts have been exploring whether more young women are being diagnosed and what this may mean for research and support services.
Breast Cancer Trials’ latest Q&A session will shed light on this emerging trend and the impact upon young women as they juggle careers, families and finances.
The average age that Australian women are diagnosed with breast cancer is 63 years old, yet Cancer Australia has identified a notable rise in early onset cancers, meaning people diagnosed before the age of 50 years but after adolescence (20-49 years).
Medical Director at Cancer Australia, Professor Vivienne Milch tells Women’s Agenda that this rise, including in breast cancer, has been seen in both Australia and in other parts of the world.
“Cancer is still most common as people get older, but in terms of breast cancer incidence, the numbers have been rising,” Professor Milch says.
Between 2000 and 2025, the incidence of breast cancer in women aged 30-39 climbed from 22.1 to 22.7 cases per 100,000, according to research from AIHW and Cancer Australia. In the 40-49 age group, the incidence of breast cancer rose from 76.6 to 81.1 per 100,000.
While incidence looks to be increasing, the good news is that research shows mortality is decreasing.
“Outcomes are getting better for young people,” Professor Milch says, adding that “for people in their 20s and 30s- if they were diagnosed in the early 90s, they had a five year survival rate of 78 per cent, but if they were diagnosed in our most recent data, which is 2017 to 2021 they had a 91 per cent five year survival.”
“That’s a period of 25 years where the five year survival rate has improved,” she says, highlighting the positive direction that research in the breast cancer space is moving.
This year, Cancer Australia, together with the National Health and Medical Research Council, has opened up a targeted call for research into early onset cancers. It’s a search opportunity that’s committed $7 million over the next three years to fund the research.
“We want to really improve our understanding of what’s going on, of all of the causes, and to also develop better approaches to earlier diagnosis and better models of care,” says Professor Milch, noting that this is because “people diagnosed with cancers in those younger age groups have very unique needs”.
Impacts of breast cancer on young women
Young women diagnosed with breast cancer are at a particular stage in their life where treatment can often have a unique impact on their career journey or ability to start a family.
They frequently encounter fertility implications, early menopause and emotional distress.
Along with these physical symptoms, Dr Milch says one of the biggest impacts on a young woman’s life can come down to the financial toxicity of cancer treatment, including out-of-pocket costs and lost income due to the time a woman is spending at the hospital and recovering from treatment.
On average, a woman diagnosed with breast cancer will lose the equivalent of 1.5 years of full-time work, according to a Monash University study.
In 2022, more than 10,000 Australian women of working age were diagnosed with breast cancer. Estimates show this will lead to $1.4 billion in lost wages over the next decade.
“Financial toxicity is a real issue for all people with cancer, but particularly for younger people,” Professor Milch says, adding that other factors to consider with breast cancer are the long-term health risks or even psychological distress, such as PTSD in relation to a diagnosis.
Clinical trials
When it comes to the rise in early-onset breast cancer, Dr Milch says there’s a lot for patients to remain hopeful about as ongoing research digs deeper into the complex interplay of genetic, reproductive, lifestyle and environmental risk factors.
Patients themselves can be involved with this research by joining clinical trials aimed at improving outcomes and quality of life.
One of the world’s leading breast cancer organisations, Breast Cancer Trials currently has several clinical trials open to premenopausal women, such as OLIO, which is investigating a new treatment option for young women with the most common type of breast cancer.
“Being involved in clinical research and clinical trials is a really important thing to do for patients with cancer,” says Professor Milch.
“It opens up possibilities for better treatments in the future, but we also know that people who participate in clinical trials have better cancer outcomes.”
Join Breast Cancer Trials on Wednesday 12th November, from 5:00-6:30pm (AEDT)/ 7:00-8:30pm (NZST), for a free online Q&A, as our panel of experts discuss the impact of breast cancer on young women and their families. To register click here.