Do you think Breast Cancer is on the rise for younger women? When I was younger I thought it was an older person’s disease. Anytime you heard about it, and you really did not too often, it was with an older person. Now since I got the diagnosis I have found that I am hearing more and more about women my age developing breast cancer. Now either when I was younger I thought 40 was way old or this awful disease is affecting more and more people at a younger and younger age.
There are many thoughts as to why the rate of breast cancer in women and men under the age of 40 has gone up. It used to be where under 40 breast cancer survivors were a rarity and I can say I personally know over 10 many of whom I went to school with.
Some people think that the increase in occurrence may be caused from the hormones in our food, chemicals in the environment or maybe people are just getting diagnosed sooner due to better detection. I think it may be a combination of all three things. I know that research has shown that the growth hormone that is given to cows, chickens and other food producing animals does have an impact on the consumers. Now no one will come out and say that the growth hormones will definitely cause cancer but they cannot prove it has no effect on cancer either.
We know that the growth hormones is affecting how soon kids are hitting puberty I have noticed kids are growing up too fast. The pediatrician says that young girls can start their menstrual cycle as early as 9 or 10. Can you believe that? I know when I was that young I never had to worry about that. I am dreading having that conversation with my little girl.
I have gone to a conference for survivors under 40 and when I learned about the hormones in meats and milk we have made a conscious effort to purchase hormone free meats and milk. Luckily there are many brands coming out with hormone free products so it is easier now to find them. I don’t know if this will make a difference for my kids or even for me but they did not use these hormones in the good old days and back then breast cancer was less common than it is today.
Just something to think about.