CDC, American Cancer Society: Breast cancer rates rising among younger women

Ana Feliz, a 37-year-old mother of two, said the day she found out she had an aggressive form of breast cancer was the worst day of her life. Now, as she continues her battle, she has a message for any woman facing the same disease, keep fighting and don’t give up.

It’s been six months since Feliz was diagnosed with Stage 2, triple positive breast cancer. She said it all started when she was performing a self-check and found a mass on her left breast. She said when she later found out it was cancer, she immediately thought about her family, including her 13-year-old daughter and her 8-year-old son.

“It was devastating for me at the beginning,” Feliz said. “As a human being, when you think about cancer, you think about the possibility of death and of course having kids, my first thought was about my kids.”

Since then, she’s gone through chemotherapy and is preparing for surgery to have a double mastectomy. During her treatment, she's been relying on her family, including her husband of 15 years, her parents and siblings, and her fellow team members at AdventHealth.

“I have a beautiful family, a beautiful support system,” Feliz said. “My family, friends, my co-workers, and my manager have been very supportive. Every single day (at her office) we pray, and my co-worker who leads prayer always includes me and they’ve been amazing.”

Feliz is one of thousands of young women who are part of a concerning trend of being under 50 years old and having breast cancer. The average age for breast cancer diagnosis is 62 years old. The American Cancer Society estimated in 2024, about 310,000 new cases of breast cancer would be diagnosed and 16% of them would be in women younger than 50 years old. Data from the Centers for Disease Control shows breast cancer rates among women in their 20’s and 30’s had seen a 2.2% yearly increase reported between 2012 and 2021.

According to the CDC, young women may be at higher risk for breast cancer if they have close family members who were diagnosed before age 45, especially if more than one relative had it or if a male relative was affected. Another risk is having changes in certain genes linked to breast cancer (BRCA1 and BRCA2) or having close relatives with those changes. If you’re at higher risk, the CDC recommends considering genetic counseling and testing.

Dr. Paul Williams, a breast surgical oncologist at AdventHealth Medical Group Breast Surgery at Davenport, said it’s important to perform self-checks and critical to follow medical advice on when to get an annual mammogram.

“On average, every two minutes, a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer. Early detection can make all the difference,” Dr. Williams said, “It is critical to make sure you’re prioritizing your health. A simple screening can lead to early diagnosis, treatment options, and better outcomes.”

Feliz said she’s doing her best to keep her faith and taking her journey one day at a time, and she’s hoping her story and message will help other women, who are fighting like she is.

“Take care of yourselves and be your own advocate. If you feel something is not right, keep going or try to find out what is going on. Make sure to check yourself. Take care of yourself and look for support,” Feliz said. “We are fighters. As women we are fighters, we go through so many things, but we don’t give up.”

To schedule a mammogram or learn more about breast health services in your area, visit scheduleyourmammotoday.com.