MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS OF BREAST CANCER IN YOUNG WOMEN - POLISH EXPERIENCES AND LITERATURE REVIEW

Barbara Kozakiewicz*, Ma?gorzata Ch?dzy?ska, Ma?gorzata Czetwerty?ska, Marta Dul?ba, Zbigniew Jodkiewicz and Andrzej Depta?a

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The rise in the incidence of breast cancer and high mortality of breast cancer patients among adolescents and young women has spurred a search for lifestyle factors correlated with incidence rate and failed treatments. The goal is to assess selected lifestyle elements of young breast cancer patients and attempt to evaluate their influence on survival rates. Material: A group of 307 women suffering from breast cancer, ages 19-81 years, divided according to age: group A consisted of 37 subjects ages 19-29 years, B - 110 women, 30-35 years, C – 160, 40-81 years. Clinical cancer features and drugs, hormonal medications used as well as BMI were assessed and correlated with the clinical endpoint. Results: In the group of younger patients, up to 35 years, a smaller tumor – T1, was identified significantly more often. A similar percentage (16%) of patients up to 29 years of age visited a doctor within a month and after 1 year and 3 years from tumor detection. In this test group, alcohol drinking and tobacco smoking was significantly more prevalent. The total survival rate among the 307 subjects was 74%, and the lowest survival rate of 12% was noted in the youngest group vs. 38% and 49% in the groups of older women. Conclusions: Among the lifestyle models for young women currently being propagated, those that have a clearly negative impact on their health are also accepted. This is why it is worth continuing studies on lifestyle factors and to widely educate women about negative factors that are already known.

Keywords: Breast cancer in adolescents and young women, alcohol and breast cancer in adolescents, lifestyle.