Voices: Educating Young Women About Breast Cancer by U.S. Rep.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz Breast cancer is a disease that knows
no boundaries. It strikes women from all backgrounds, races, and
ethnicities, the rich and the poor, the old and the young. In
2008, the American Cancer Society estimated 182,460 new invasive
cases of breast cancer in women, with 10,000–11,000 cases
occurring in women under 40 years of age. Although the incidence
of breast cancer in young women is much lower than that of older
women, young women’s breast cancers are generally more
aggressive, are diagnosed at a later stage, and result in lower
survival rates. In fact, breast cancer is the leading cause of
cancer deaths in women younger than 40. As you may know, for 17
years as an elected official, I have been a staunch advocate for
transforming our approach towards breast cancer and have worked
towards its eradication. However, this issue took on a greater
significance in my life when I found a lump in my breast last
year while doing a