Breast Cancer Diagnoses Increase Among Younger Women In The UK, Study Finds

Breast cancer diagnoses among younger women in the United Kingdom are on the rise, while survival rates still show signs of increasing---a new study finds. 

Women under the age of 50 comprise one-in-five breast cancer cases in the United Kingdom, Cancer Research UK reports.

The report reveals that 10,068 women younger than 50 were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, an increase of 2,356 since 1995.

"These figures show that breast cancer still affect ore and more families every year in the UK and the need for research into the disease remains vital," said Chris Askew, chief executive of Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

"Although breast cancer is more common in older women, it's worrying to see an increase in the number of younger women diagnosed with the disease. We must invest in vital research for new treatments and disease prevention."

Increasing rates of alcohol consumption, contraceptive pill usage and the fact that women are having fewer children later in life are factors that have been attributed to the trend, the organization reports.

But aside from the increasing rate of diagnoses among the younger female population in the UK, survival rates were shown to increase in women under 50 years old.

The death rate fell from nine per 100,000 women in 1993 to 1995 to five per 100,000 between 2008 and 2010 in the UK.

And while breast cancer programs have been made available to women between 50 and 70 years old, prevention programs in the UK will start to include females in their late 40s.

"Breast cancer is more common in older women but these figures show that younger women are also at risk of developing the disease," said Sara Hiom, director of health information for Cancer Research UK.

"Women of all ages who notice anything different about their breasts, including changes in size, shape or feel, a lump or thickening, nipple discharge or rash, dimpling, puckering or redness of the skin, should see their GP straight away, even if they have attended breast cancer screening. It's more likely not to be cancer but if it is, detecting it early gives the best chance of successful treatment."