Note: This program originally aired on Feb. 5, 2025.
Breast cancer has long been a significant concern, but recent statistics from the American Cancer Society reveal a trend — an increase in diagnoses among young women.
The American Cancer Society projects an estimated 316,950 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in women in 2025, with over 11,000 in North Carolina alone. Invasive female breast cancer incidence has been increasing since the mid-2000s by a rate of 1% per year overall and for young women under 50, even higher at 1.4% per year.
Young women are more prone to developing aggressive types of breast cancer and are more likely to have genetic risk factors for breast cancer, according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Consistent with general trends in health care in the United States, racial disparities are also pervasive among young Black women. While Black women have a 5% lower incidence rate of breast cancer compared to white women, they experience a 38% higher mortality rate, according to the American Cancer Society.
Younger patients have unique challenges with cancer, from discussing concerns and confidently advocating for themselves in medicine to the challenges faced in treatment.
On this episode, we will shed light on this growing issue with the help of two physicians that co-direct a program created to provide support and education to young breast cancer patients. They’ll be joined by a patient that went through that program and will share her story of survival. We’ll discuss everything from early detection to how family and loved ones can also help during a patient's journey with breast cancer.
GUESTS:
Dr. Julie Fisher, medical oncologist at Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute.
Misty Gordon, breast cancer survivor.
Dr. Lejla Hadzikadic-Gusic, surgical oncologist at Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute.
