Suffolk breast cancer surgeon urges greater awareness as diagnoses rise among younger women

Breast cancer surgeon from Suffolk calls for greater awareness as diagnoses rise among younger women

A Suffolk breast cancer surgeon is calling for greater awareness of the disease among younger women after new research found many patients felt their concerns had been dismissed because of their age.

The report, published by the charity CoppaFeel!, found nearly one in three people with breast cancer said they had been dismissed by a healthcare professional as “too young” when they first sought help.

It also found more than half of breast cancer diagnoses occur outside the current NHS screening age range, while diagnoses among under-50s rose by five per cent in a year.

Dr Liz O’Riordan, a breast surgeon who was diagnosed with breast cancer herself at the age of 40, said she was not surprised by the findings.

“It’s a common feeling and I think it’s because breast cancer is still relatively rare in young people,” she said.

“A lot of doctors don’t believe it can happen in young people. They dismiss them, but we are seeing the numbers rising in the 20, 30 and 40-year-olds.”

Dr O’Riordan stressed she was not blaming GPs, describing breast cancer in younger patients as uncommon and acknowledging the pressures facing primary care services.

However, she said awareness needed to improve among both the public and healthcare professionals.

“I think the first thing is public awareness so that every woman from the age of 20 and upwards knows that breast cancer can happen, although it’s unlikely,” she said.

“And I think it’s telling GPs that breast cancer can happen in anybody at any age and even though you may never have seen it, you need to refer people up to the breast clinic so they can be examined properly.”

Dr O’Riordan warned that younger women are often diagnosed at a later stage, which can affect treatment outcomes.

“I think if your cancer is caught at a later stage when it’s grown, then you’re less likely to do as well as someone who’s picked it up early,” she said.

The charity is calling for breast awareness to become a routine part of healthcare appointments, including cervical screening appointments, HPV vaccinations and NHS Health Checks.

It is also calling for screening programmes to be based more heavily on an individual’s risk factors rather than age alone.

Dr O’Riordan said breast cancer is often incorrectly viewed as a disease that only affects older women.

“These are young women. These are your daughters, these are your nieces, these are your sisters,” she said.

“We need to realise that breast cancer is not a disease of older women.”

While urging people to be aware of changes in their bodies, she also stressed that most younger women who notice breast changes will not have cancer.

“Your risk of getting breast cancer is very, very small in your 20s or 30s and most of the changes you’ll feel in your breasts won’t be breast cancer,” she said.

“The important thing is that you know what’s normal for you, you check your breasts every month and if you’re in any doubt at all, please go and see your GP and ask to be referred to your breast clinic.”

Dr O’Riordan also backed calls for breast cancer awareness to be discussed more routinely in healthcare settings.

“One thing I’d like to see is that breast cancer awareness is part of every consultation that a healthcare professional has with a young woman,” she said.

“Just to remind her that breast cancer can happen, remind her of the risk factors that we do know about, and show her how to check her breasts.”

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