The UK has seen a massive increase in the number of women under the age of 50 diagnosed with breast cancer, it was revealed today.
Experts say the increase is probably fuelled by changing modern lifestyles – but improved treatment and detection mean death rates have fallen.
The latest figures, from 2010, show that more than 10,000 young women were diagnosed with the disease – the first time the annual figure has passed 10,000.
In 1995 the figure stood at 7,700.
Experts say increased use of alcohol and women increasingly delaying childbirth are likely to have contributed to the increase.
In contrast the total numbers of young women dying from breast cancer have nearly halved, according to Cancer Research UK, which published the figures.
Sara Hiom, from Cancer Research UK, said: “The number of cases in women under 50 diagnosed with breast cancer is increasing slowly, but thanks to research, awareness and improved care more women than ever before are surviving the disease.
"Cancer Research UK’s crucial work in the laboratory is behind many important drugs, and our trials of drugs called aromatase inhibitors paved the way for the development of anastrozole – all of this is helping to give women with breast cancer more treatment options.”
Leave a Reply