Teenage Breast Cancer – A Brief Overview
While it is not common for women under 40 to develop breast cancer, it is known to happen. Sometimes the naturally-occurring signs of puberty can be confused with the early symptoms of breast cancer in teens. Also, there might benign tumors or breast cysts, which do not develop into cancer. Although this disease is very rare at such as age, it is still good to know the causes, types, and early symptoms of breast cancer in teens as a precaution. Causes of Breast Cancer in Teens According to the American Cancer Society, most childhood cancers, including teenage breast cancer, have little to do with lifestyle and dietary habits. Therefore, the most likely cause of breast cancer in teens is gene mutations that occur early in life, perhaps even in the womb. If you combine these mutations with risk factors for cancer, the chances of a person getting breast cancer can increase. Thus, it is necessary to pay attention to the early symptoms of breast cancer in teens. Some of these risk factors include Radiation treatment for other types of cancers Obesity Excessive smoking, drinking, and substance abuse Exposure to second-hand smoke Unhealthy dietary habits that include consuming lots of junk (processed food) Lack of exercise or sedentary lifestyle Taking birth-control tablets that contain estrogen Family history of breast cancer Mutations on the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes Early Symptoms of Breast Cancer in Teens For most teenage girls, any lumps or changes in their breasts can be related to normal development or other conditions like fibroadenoma and cystosarcoma phyllodes, which are benign.