Through most women who get breast cancer are over age 50, young can and do get breast cancer. Five percent of all breast cancers diagnosed in the U.S. each year occur in women under 40.

A breast cancer diagnosis at a younger age can be especially shocking and challenging. At a time in life most often reserved for family and career, issues of treatment, recovery and survivorship suddenly take top priority.

However, with early detection and treatment, most of these young women can expect to live a long time. While this is good news, starting down the path of survivorship at a young age brings unique concerns.

Loss of Fertility

A main concern for young breast cancer survivors is loss of fertility. A potential side effect of chemotherapy is early menopause. The older a women  is, the more likely that chemotherapy will bring on menopause. Early menopause ends a women’s chance for a natural pregnancy. This can be very difficult for women who had hoped to have a child after completing treatment.

For women who don’t go through early menopause, tamoxifen therapy is generally recommended for five years. Although tamoxifen does not effect fertility, it can shorten the window of time to have children.

Support For Young Survivors

Many young survivors feel a sense of isolation. Though they share many concerns with older survivors, younger women need to be able to share their thoughts and feelings with women who are at the same stage of life. Other young survivors are juggling similar priorities, such as raising a family and working.