JAKARTA - For years, breast cancer has often been perceived as a disease that is synonymous with elderly women.
However, the latest data developments show a pattern change that should be of concern. Currently, breast cancer is increasingly found in women of productive age, even starting to touch Generation Z.
The experience of Alexis Klimpl, a woman diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at the age of 24, is a serious warning for the health world.
Director of the Yale Cancer Center, Dr. Eric Winer, assessed this phenomenon as a condition that cannot be ignored.
"Our concerns arise because the incidence rate continues to increase. This condition is not related to screening, given that the examination has not been routinely performed on young patients, and until now the exact cause is still not fully understood," explained Dr. Winer, quoted from the USA Today website.
One of the main challenges in treating breast cancer at a young age is the delay in diagnosis. This is partly due to the limitations of examination methods.
According to Dr. Winer, mammography screening does not always provide optimal results in women under the age of 40.
This condition is related to the characteristics of breast tissue at a young age which tends to be denser (denser breast tissue). This tissue density makes it difficult to detect the presence of tumors through conventional X-ray examinations.
Until now, the exact cause of the increase in breast cancer cases with an earlier onset age is still being investigated.
Dr. Carmen Calfa, an oncologist from the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, stated that this phenomenon involves many factors.
"The increasing incidence of breast cancer with an increasingly early onset age is a serious concern. Therefore, a comprehensive effort is needed to understand various risk factors, including genetic aspects, as well as to adjust factors that can still be modified," said Dr. Calfa.
However, Dr. Winer emphasized that the hope of recovery for patients remains very great, especially if the disease is detected early.
"For patients with stage 1, 2, or 3 cancer, the main goal of treatment is to achieve cancer-free status and minimize the possibility of the disease reappearing later," he said.
Rapid advances in cancer research and therapy have also had a positive impact. Even for patients with advanced stages, the opportunity to survive in the long term with good quality of life is now increasingly open.
Given that mass screening examinations such as mammography have not become a routine procedure for young people, awareness of performing self-examination plays an important role in early detection.
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